OBJECTIVE Vascular access has great importance in the treatment of patients submitted to prolonged chemotherapy. Purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of the percutaneous insertion and use of totally implantable central venous access ports (TICVAP). METHODS During a 10-year period, 700 TICVAP were inserted into cancer patients for chemotherapy. Early and late complications and their management were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS Of the 700 catheters implanted, 126 (18%) presented one or more types of early and late complication. Removal of 262 catheters was performed, of which 216 (82.4%) were elective indications due to the termination of the treatment and 46 (17.6%) resulted from complications that could not be controlled using clinical measures. In 280 patients (40%), the catheter remained functional until the patient's death, and 158 patients (22.5%) are still making use of their catheters for clinical treatment. CONCLUSIONS The low rate of complications according to this study confirms the safety and convenience of the percutaneous insertion and use of TICVAP in patients undergoing prolonged chemotherapy regimens and explains the increasing use of these devices in current medical oncology practice.