The need for an access to the venous system, in order to infuse chemotherapeutic treatments or parenteral nutrition, has increased the number of central venous access systems (CVAS) implanted in the past years. Between February 1985 and December 1990, 87 devices were implanted in 76 patients (from 11 months to 15 years of age), with a median function time of 349 days (range: 7 to 1887 days). The overall incidence of complications was 0.10 per 10 days of catheterization, with complication rates for infection and thrombosis of 0.02 and 0.03, respectively. Nineteen systems were removed because of complications and 11 because of completion of the treatment. Of the cases, 97.7% included a follow-up period. The present study confirms the advantages of these devices, with a long working life and a low complication rate, being a good alternative for chronically ill children requiring long-term and/or cyclic intravenous therapy.