For those who need frequent blood draws or IV treatments, a port can make it easier to access a vein and reduce the number of needle pricks you receive.
Most of us are familiar with chemotherapy and radiation as common treatment options following a breast cancer diagnosis.
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. The other is the PICC (pronounced “pick”) line.
Here are five things to know about ports if you’re considering chemotherapy, which can involve the use of a port to administer treatment.
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.
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. 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, as it is not the standard placement.
Make sure you do what you feel is right for you, and understand the risks and benefits of getting a port.
It is a short procedure, and you can expect to be in the hospital for a couple of hours. During that time, you will receive a local anesthetic to your chest area.
For the rest of the day, avoid wearing tight bras or carrying a purse across your chest. You’ll be told to relax at home for the day (the perfect excuse to binge-watch your favorite Netflix show). You can eat and drink normally, but expect some mild pain.
After a few days you can shower or bathe, but only after the dressing has been removed. The stitches will dissolve over time, and the Steri-Strips (white tape under the dressing) will fall off on their own. Just watch for signs of infection and let your doctor know right away if you notice any:
- swelling
- pain
- redness
- fluid
around the incision - shortness
of breath - chest
pain - fever
- dizziness
- swelling
on your neck, face, or arm on the side where the port is inserted
Removing the port is done in a similar fashion.
Not typically, but when it is accessed for chemo or a blood draw, the initial poke does sting a bit (similar to an IV poke in your arm). Over-the-counter or doctor-prescribed numbing creams can help ease the discomfort.
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.)
Yes, it does. During your chemo session, after your IV is connected, the nurse will flush out the port lines before administering the chemo drugs. This is also the last thing that the nurse does after administering your chemo, before removing the IV.
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.
Rethink Breast Cancer’s mission is to empower young people worldwide who are concerned about and affected by breast cancer. Rethink is the first-ever Canadian charity to bring bold, relevant awareness to the 40s and under crowd. By taking a breakthrough approach to all aspects of breast cancer, Rethink is thinking differently about breast cancer. To find out more, visit their website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.