A port is a plastic disc (roughly the size of a U.S. quarter or Canadian loonie) that is placed underneath your skin, usually above your breast or below the collarbone, and is used to intravenously feed medication directly into a large vein and into the heart. It can also be used to withdraw blood as well.
Full Answer
Why do I need a port for my treatment?
A port reduces the risk of medications coming into contact with – and possibly irritating – the skin. A port can be used to provide treatments that span several days. If you have further questions, you are welcome to talk with an expert at Moffitt.
What is a port in medical terms?
Port (medical) Under the skin, the port has a septum through which drugs can be injected and blood samples can be drawn many times, usually with less discomfort for the patient than a more typical "needle stick". Ports are used mostly to treat hematology and oncology patients. Ports were previously adapted for use in hemodialysis patients,...
What is the purpose of a peripheral port in the body?
Ports have many uses: 1 To deliver chemotherapy to cancer patients who must undergo treatment frequently. ... 2 To deliver coagulation factors in patients with severe hemophilia. 3 To withdraw (and/or return) blood to the body in patients who require frequent blood tests, and in hemodialysis patients. More items...
What happens when a port is placed in your body?
A surgeon or radiologist puts in a port, usually with local anesthesia or conscious sedation. The catheter goes under the skin of your chest or upper arm. A port is completely under your skin. You might see or feel a small bump on your chest or arm.
Why do you need a port for a vein?
What is a port a catheter?
How long does it take for a port to flush out?
Where is the port located?
Can you get a port in your arm?
Can you wear a seat belt over a port?
See more
About this website
To Port or Not To Port – Advantages & Disadvantages
Most of our patients who receive chemotherapy, and some patients who receive other therapies for blood disorders, have had a port catheter (or port for short) placed by recommendation of their medical provider for very good reason. A port catheter is a device placed “centrally” into a large, main vein and is generally located in
A Survivor’s List of the Pros & Cons of Chemo Ports
I acknowledge and consent to I Had Cancer, Inc ("IHC") and Sony Foundation Australia Limited (ABN 33 086 967 222) (“Sony Foundation”) collecting and accessing my personal information (including my name, contact details (such as my email address) and sensitive medical information including my cancer status, treatment and progress so that IHC and Sony Foundation may provide me with services ...
Life With a Port: What’s It Like? - WebMD
A medical port is no bigger than a quarter. But if you have advanced colon cancer, it’s likely changed the way you get chemotherapy.
How to prepare for getting a chest port for chemo?
Hello @ocpand.I have a port, located on my right side just below my collar bone. It was placed a little over 2 years ago for my chemo treatments. But it is used for blood work, and really anything else that would require an IV.
Does anyone else have chemo port pain in their neck and shoulder?
I have had my port inn four almost a year..had just plunge round off chemo by a chemo libation through my port.my platelets dropped duo drastically had to have platelet television.those are the only times in a treat I have accessed it.I have a lot of pain that has not started..lost a lot PhD weight so it sticks out so far..hate it,but it did save me a lot of pain.so Ann thankful.& thanks to ...
Overview
Implanted ports are devices that make it easier for healthcare providers to access a vein. They help people who often need IV treatments or blood draws.
Procedure Details
Get blood tests to check your kidney function and how your blood clots.
Recovery and Outlook
The skin covering the port doesn’t need any special care. If you aren’t receiving regular treatments, you or your provider will flush out the port and catheter once a month. Flushing lowers the risk of clots and blockages. It keeps the line open and ready for the next use.
What is the procedure to put a port in?
A surgeon or radiologist puts in a port. This is usually done with local anesthesia or conscious sedation. The entire catheter goes under the skin of your chest or upper arm. To give treatment with a port, your nurse may first numb the skin with cream. Then, your nurse cleans the skin and puts a needle into the port.
How long can a needle stay in a port?
Give treatments that last longer than 1 day. The needle can stay in the port for several days. Give more than 1 medication at a time through a double port. Do blood tests and give chemotherapy the same day with 1 needle stick.
How long does an IV catheter stay in?
You get a new IV each time you have treatment. Sometimes the catheter can stay in for 2 or 3 days if it is safely in your vein and not painful. Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). This is usually called a PICC ("pick") line.
What is the name of the catheter that is put in the body?
Where and how the catheter is put in your body depends on the type of catheter. The different types of catheters are: IV catheter. Treatments that are given in a vein are often given through a catheter with a small needle. This is called an IV catheter or simply an "IV.".
Where does a PICC catheter go?
Or it might go into a neck vein. Like with the PICC line, the tip of the catheter goes into the vein and a few inches of the tube goes into your body.
Why is a catheter clamped?
A portion of the catheter may stay outside your body so it is easy to insert the medication into the catheter. When you are not getting treatment, the catheter is clamped or capped to keep it closed.
Where does the catheter tube stay?
The remainder of the catheter tube will remain outside the body at the chest or neck. You will receive a local anesthetic or conscious sedation when the catheter is put in. Conscious sedation is medication to help you relax and feel sleepy. Implantable port or port-a-cath. A surgeon or radiologist puts in a port.
Why do you need a port for chemo?
A chemotherapy port may be an option in this situation to make it easier to draw blood and get chemo drugs and IV fluids into your bloodstream. This article will go into more detail about what a chemotherapy port is, how it’s implanted, as well as the benefits and risks.
What is a chemo port?
What is a chemotherapy port and why is it needed? A chemotherapy port is a small disc or reservoir that can be made of plastic or metal, with a rubber seal at the top. A thin, soft, flexible tube, called a line or catheter, goes from this disc, which faces the outside of your body, directly into a large vein.
How do you give chemo through a port?
This is done with a special needle that goes into an access point within the port. The fluids or medications flow through the catheter and directly into a large vein. Blood can also be drawn this way.
How to remove a port?
To remove your port, your doctor will make a small incision in the area of the port and will remove the port as well as the catheter that leads to a vein. The incision will then be closed up, and you’ll follow the care instructions of your treatment team.
How long do port implantations stay in the body?
Ports can stay in the body for months or even years. But once your treatment is over and you don’t need your port anymore, your doctor will schedule an appointment to remove it. As with the implantation surgery, removing a port involves a short, outpatient procedure, that’s typically done with local anesthesia.
Why flush a port?
If your port isn’t used often, a nurse will need to flush it regularly to prevent blood clots and blockages.
Is a port for chemo safe?
As with most medical procedures or devices, a chemotherapy port does have some risks. These include: Taking good care of your port can help reduce the risk of infection and other complications. You can do this by: carefully following the directions regarding cleaning. changing any dressings after the port is implanted.
What is an implanted port?
About Implanted Ports. An implanted port (also known as a “port”) is a flexible tube that’s placed into a vein in your chest. It will make it easier for your healthcare team to: Give you intravenous (IV, through a vein) medication. Give you IV fluids. Take blood samples.
Where is a port placed?
Your port will be placed either in Interventional Radiology or in the operating room. Port placement is a short procedure. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how to prepare for it.
What are the two parts of an implanted port?
Types of implanted ports. All implanted ports are made up of 2 parts: the port with a septum and a catheter (see Figure 2). The port is the starting point of fluid flow through the catheter. It sits under your skin and has a raised center called a septum. The septum is made from a self-sealing rubber material.
How long after a port is removed can you shower?
Wearing a seatbelt may put pressure on your incisions. You can put a small pillow or folded towel between the strap and your body to help with this. For 3 to 5 days after your implanted port is placed, don’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms).
How much does a port raise your skin?
Your implanted port may raise your skin about ½ an inch (1.2 centimeters). You may be able to feel it through your skin, but you probably won’t be able to see it when you wear a V-neck shirt. Most people won’t know that you have it. The skin over your implanted port doesn’t need any special care.
How long after port placement can you lift?
Wearing a seatbelt may put pressure on your incisions. You can put a small pillow or folded towel between the strap and your body to help with this. For 3 to 5 days after your implanted port is placed, don’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms).
Where is the catheter placed in the neck?
The catheter will be placed through the second incision, tunneled under your skin to the first incision, and threaded into your vein.
What is a port a catheter?
Port-a-Cath with needle assembly inserted. In medicine, a port is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin . A catheter (plastic tube) connects the port to a vein. Under the skin, the port has a septum (a silicone membrane) through which drugs can be injected and blood samples can be drawn many times, ...
How to use a port?
Ports have many uses: 1 To deliver chemotherapy to cancer patients who must undergo treatment frequently. Chemotherapy is often toxic, and can damage skin and muscle tissue, and therefore should not be delivered through these tissues. Ports provide a solution, delivering drugs quickly and efficiently through the entire body via the circulatory system. 2 To deliver coagulation factors in patients with severe hemophilia. 3 To withdraw (and/or return) blood to the body in patients who require frequent blood tests, and in hemodialysis patients. 4 To deliver antibiotics to patients requiring them for a long time or frequently, such as those with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. 5 Delivering medications to patients with immune disorders. 6 For treating alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency with replacement therapy 7 For delivering radiopaque contrast agents, which enhance contrast in CT imaging. 8 To fill or withdraw fluid from the Lap-Band or Realize gastric bands used in Bariatric surgeries. 9 To administer analgesics to patients with chronic pain, such as cancer patients and those with sickle-cell disease
Where is the catheter inserted?
The catheter runs from the portal and is surgically inserted into a vein (usually the jugular vein, subclavian vein, or superior vena cava ). Ideally, the catheter terminates in the superior vena cava, just upstream of the right atrium.
How is a heparin lock made?
After each use, a heparin lock is made by injecting a small amount of heparinized saline (an anticoagulant) into the device, prevent ing development of clots within the port or catheter. In some catheter designs where there is a self-sealing valve at the far end, the system is locked with just saline.
Where does a catheter fragment lodge?
The catheter fragment then travels through the venous system and typically lodges in the right heart or the lungs. Many patients are asymptomatic but the mechanical failure is discovered because of an inability to flush or withdraw fluids from the port.
What does "deliver" mean in medical terms?
To withdraw (and/or return) blood to the body in patients who require frequent blood tests, and in hemodialysis patients. To deliver antibiotics to patients requiring them for a long time or frequently, such as those with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. Delivering medications to patients with immune disorders.
Why do you need to cover a port?
The port is covered in a dressing to protect the site from infection and to secure the needle in position. If a port is used infrequently, it may be necessary to access the port regularly, flush it with saline, and inject a new heparin lock to prevent clotting between uses.
What is a port used for?
A port can be used to draw blood and infuse chemotherapy drugs. It can be used if you need transfusions of red blood cells or platelets. 1. Without a port or a PICC line, a new IV needle will need to be placed each time you have chemotherapy, and separate IV lines are needed if you require IV fluids or a blood transfusion.
Why do you need a port for chemo?
Some chemotherapy medications can only be given through a port because they are too caustic to be delivered into a peripheral vein. Beyond that, using a port is often easier than inserting an IV each time if you will be having several infusions of chemotherapy.
Why does my port stop working?
A clot may form in the port or catheter, causing it to stop working. Many people who have a port placed for chemotherapy will develop a thrombosis (clot) in the catheter (often causing a need for the port to be replaced). 5
What happens if you have a port placed for chemo?
Many people who have a port placed for chemotherapy will develop a thrombosis, or blood clot, in the port or the catheter. This clot may cause the port to stop working, often creating the need for the port to be replaced. 5.
What is the area where a nurse inserts a needle into a port?
During blood draws or chemotherapy infusions, a nurse will insert a needle into an area called the "septum, " a resealable rubber center on your port. Advantages. Greater comfort.
How many ports are there for chemo?
As with any surgical procedure, there are both advantages and disadvantages to having a chemotherapy port placed. Estimates suggest there are more than 5 million ports placed in the United States each year, so physicians are very familiar with the procedure and it has been well studied. 4. The benefits of having a chemotherapy port compared ...
How many needle sticks are needed for IV port?
A single needle stick is usually all that is needed to access your port. 1 With IV therapy and traditional blood draws, sometimes many needle sticks are needed to find a good vein, especially if your veins have been damaged from repeated blood draws and infusions.
What are the benefits of a port?
In addition to streamlining the delivery of chemotherapy medications, a port can provide several other benefits as compared to an IV catheter: 1 A port site is prepared with a sterile technique, which ensures that all surfaces are free of microorganisms and thus greatly reduces the risk of infection (an IV site is prepared with a clean but nonsterile technique). 2 A port can also be used for delivering fluids and transfusions, drawing blood for lab testing and injecting dye for PET and CT scans. 3 A port reduces the risk of medications coming into contact with – and possibly irritating – the skin. 4 A port can be used to provide treatments that span several days.
Why do we need a port?
A port reduces the risk of medications coming into contact with – and possibly irritating – the skin. A port can be used to provide treatments that span several days. If you have further questions, you are welcome to talk with an expert at Moffitt.
What is a chemo port?
A chemo port is a small, implantable reservoir with a thin silicone tube that attaches to a vein. The main advantage of this vein-access device is that chemotherapy medications can be delivered directly into the port rather than a vein, eliminating the need for needle sticks. Many people who receive chemotherapy choose to have a port implanted ...
How long can a chemo port stay in place?
How long can a chemo port remain in place? Unlike an IV catheter, which must be reinserted for each treatment session, a port can remain in place as long as necessary – for several weeks, months or even years. When it is no longer needed, the port can be removed through a relatively simple outpatient procedure.
Where is a chemo port located?
Usually, a chemo port is centrally placed under the skin near a large vein in the upper chest. This can be a good alternative to an intravenous (IV) catheter that is peripherally placed in an arm or hand vein (a suitable IV site can sometimes be difficult to find).
What is port site?
A port site is prepared with a sterile technique, which ensures that all surfaces are free of microorganisms and thu s greatly reduces the risk of infection (an IV site is prepared with a clean but nonsterile technique).
Is porting better than IV?
Easily accessible by a patient’s treatment team, a port can provide a safer and more efficient medication delivery process than an IV. And, while a port will produce a visible, quarter-sized “bump” under the skin, it can be easily covered with regular clothing.
What does a port mean for cancer patients?
For a lot of folks with advanced cancer, a port means they can have treatments at home instead of the hospital. “We can’t send [people] home with chemotherapy running in through an IV in the arm because that could easily become dislodged -- in their sleep, for example,” Krishnamurthi says.
How to prevent a clot from a port?
Having a port raises your chance of a clot even more. You can help prevent clots by making sure your port’s flushed regularly when you’re not using it. Flushing means putting saline, the anti-clotting drug heparin, or both through the port and the catheter. This should be done by a nurse.
What to watch for when you have a port?
Watch for redness, swelling, pain, or drainage around the port. Let your cancer care team know if you have any of these or are dizzy, have chest pain, or have a fever. For some people, the biggest drawback is how a port makes them feel about themselves. It can be a constant reminder that they have cancer.
Where is the port placed for colon cancer?
But if you have advanced colon cancer, it’s likely changed the way you get chemotherapy. The port gets placed under your skin, usually near your collarbone. A soft tube called a catheter connects it to a large vein above your heart.
Can you take a port out after treatment?
Whether to take the port out after treatment is also up to you . Krishnamurthi says folks with early-stage colorectal cancer tend to want it out. Others like to stick with it until they see how things go. And some are so tired of being poked and prodded, they decide to keep it forever.
Can you feel a port bump?
And though you can feel and see the port’s small bump, most other people can’t. Krishnamurthi says many folks are happy with their ports. But ports can also cause serious problems. Be sure you know what to watch for, what to do about it, and when to call your cancer care team.
Can a port cause a blood infection?
Ports can lead to an infection in the skin over the port or in your bloodstream. This can be very serious, even life-threatening. Be sure you and everyone who touches your port washes their hands carefully. Watch for redness, swelling, pain, or drainage around the port.
What is a port in a needle?
The port is a quarter-sized plastic or metal disc. (If you have the metal kind, don’t worry: It won’t set off metal detectors). The middle part of the port, a rubber piece called the access site, holds the needle in place when you receive treatment, medication, or have blood drawn.
What is chemo port?
A chemo port gives health care workers one-stop access to your veins: They poke the port, not your skin. It offers all the benefits of treatment without the discomfort, and it reduces your risk of infection and skin irritation.
How long does it take to get a chemo port?
Your chemo port is implanted during an outpatient procedure, meaning that you don’t have to stay in a hospital for the procedure. It usually takes 30-45 minutes. Expect to be awake but medicated to help you relax.
Why do you flush a port?
Flushing your port ensures blood or medicine doesn’t clog it up. Call your doctor if you have pain, swelling, or bruising at your port’s site; if pus or fluid is coming out of the opening in your skin where the port goes; or if that area looks irritated or feels tender or hot.
Do you need a bandage for a port?
You don’t need a bandage when the port isn’t in use, and you should treat the skin over it just like than the rest of your skin. If you don’t use your port for 4 weeks, it needs to be flushed. Only a health care worker can do this. Flushing your port ensures blood or medicine doesn’t clog it up.
Can you swim after chemo port?
In most cases, no, though it depends on the shape and tightness of your clothes. Caring for a Chemo Port. After your port is implanted and the area has healed, you can return to regular tasks and exercise, including swimming. Avoid contact sports that might damage your port.
Why do you need a port for a vein?
If you are in treatment, you will need to have your veins accessed frequently. A port is used to avoid poking your arm with needles numerous times and for protecting small veins. It is removed after therapy and leaves a small scar behind. Although a port may be recommended, getting one is a decision you need to make with your doctor.
What is a port a catheter?
But there are other aspects of treatment you may not have heard of, like a port-a-catheter (aka port-a-cath or port), which is a mechanism used to deliver medicines, nutrients, blood products, or fluids into your blood and to take blood out of your body for testing. The port is one of the most common types of central venous catheters.
How long does it take for a port to flush out?
If your port hasn’t been accessed in about a month, you have to have it flushed out. This can be done at your local hospital blood lab department and will only take a few minutes. This will help prevent blood clotting, infection, and other complications. This article first appeared on Rethink Breast Cancer.
Where is the port located?
quarter or Canadian loonie) that is placed underneath your skin, usually above your breast or below the collarbone, and is used to intravenously feed medication directly into a large vein and into the heart. It can also be used to withdraw blood as well.
Can you get a port in your arm?
Although a port may be recommended, getting one is a decision you need to make with your doctor. There are many factors to consider including cost, type, and schedule of treatment, as well as other existing medical conditions you may have. It can also be inserted in your upper arm, but this is something you often have to advocate for in Canada, ...
Can you wear a seat belt over a port?
It can be uncomfortable. Wearing a seat belt or a purse directly over the port area can irritate it, but thankfully, accessories can help — think small pillows between your port and the seat belt or a seat belt wrap. (If you want to add a bit of personality to your pillow, Etsy does carry some cute ones.)
