Carenotes > Implanted Venous Access Ports (Precare)

Implanted Venous Access Ports

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• An implanted port is made up of two parts: a catheter (kath-uh-ter) and a port. A catheter is a small plastic flexible tube. A port is a pocket for fluids that you get through the catheter. It is made of metal or plastic and holds a small amount of liquid. One end of the catheter is connected to the port, and the other end goes through a vein near your heart.
  
  
• Most ports are the size of a quarter. They have plastic or metal on the sides and rubber over the top. The port is placed right under your skin and you can usually feel it through your skin. A special needle goes through your skin and the rubber on top of the port when the port is used. By having an access port, you can have blood taken for tests, and get IV fluids quickly and easily. Having the port may keep your arm from being stuck many times with a needle.
  
  
• A vein is a tube inside you that carries blood from the body to the heart and lungs. Your doctor will put the catheter into a vein near your neck. The port is placed on your chest near your collarbone, or in your upper arm. If the port will be used often, there may be a catheter tube (tail) attached to the needle. It will hang down onto your chest.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

• There are always risks with any medical procedure. You may have more bleeding than usual or get an infection (in-fek-shun). You could have trouble breathing, or get blood clots. The port may become blocked or clogged. If this happens, you may need to have a special medicine put into the port to unclog it. The tip of the catheter could move out of place, or the catheter could get a leak in it. This may cause IV fluid to leak out into your skin, and damage it.
  
  
• The port may become loose and move around. Air could get into your blood stream through the catheter, or you could get an irregular heartbeat. Rarely, your lung may collapse, or the catheter can break apart in your vein. You may die. Your caregivers will watch you closely for these problems. Call them if you are worried or have questions about your medicine or care.

GETTING READY:

The Night Before the Procedure:

• Ask your caregiver if you need to stop taking aspirin or any other blood thinning medicines before your procedure.
  
  
• You may need blood tests before your procedure. Talk to your caregiver about these or other tests you may need. Write down the date, time and location for each test.
  
  
• You may be given a pill to take to help you sleep.
  
  
• Ask caregivers about directions for eating and drinking.

The Day of the Procedure:

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your procedure.
  
  
• Ask your caregiver before taking any medicine on the day of the procedure. These medicines include insulin, diabetic pills, high blood pressure pills, or heart pills. Bring a list of your medicines or the pill bottles with you to the hospital.
  
  
• If you are staying in the hospital after the procedure, bring your personal belongings with you. These include your bathrobe, toothbrush, denture cup (if needed), hairbrush, and slippers. Do not wear jewelry or bring money to the hospital.
  
  
• Informed Consent: You have the right to understand your health condition in words that you know. You should be told what tests, treatments, or procedures may be done to treat your condition. Your doctor should also tell you about the risks and benefits of each treatment. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives caregivers permission to do certain tests, treatments, or procedures. If you are unable to give your consent, someone who has permission can sign this form for you. A consent form is a legal piece of paper that tells exactly what will be done to you. Before giving your consent, make sure all your questions have been answered so that you understand what may happen.
  
  
• If you go home right after the procedure, someone should drive you. Do not drive yourself home.

TREATMENT:

What Will Happen:

• You will be asked to change into a hospital gown. You may be given a pill or medicine in your IV to help you relax or make you drowsy. You will be taken to a different room for the procedure. You may get local anesthesia (an-iss-thee-zuh) to numb the area where the catheter and port will be inserted.Your bed may be tilted so that your head is lower than your feet. This helps blood fill up the veins in your neck and chest, and makes the veins easier to find.
  
  
• You may need hair clipped in the area where your port will go. Your caregiver will clean the area with soap and water. This soap may make your skin yellow, but it will be cleaned off later. Towels will be put over you to keep the area clean. Do not touch the towels or the area that has just been cleaned.
  
  
• Your doctor will make 2 small incisions (cuts) on your chest or neck. The catheter with a wire in it will be put through one incision. Fluoroscopy (flor-os-co-pe) is a type of x-ray that may be used to put in the catheter so doctors can see that it goes into the right place. The port attached to the catheter is put under the skin through the other incision. Tell your caregivers if have tingling, numbness or pain in your chest, ear or arm. Your doctor can move the catheter to make this stop.
  
  
• When the doctor is sure the catheter is in the right place, the wire will be taken out. Your doctor will use stitches (thread) to sew the implanted port to your chest muscle. The skin over the port will be sewn up. Bandages will then be put on the incisions. The head of your bed will be raised and you will get a x-ray right after the procedure. The x-ray will show caregivers that the catheter is in the right place before it is used.

Waiting Room: The waiting room is where your family can wait until you are ready for visitors after the procedure. Your doctor or nurse can then find them to let them know how the procedure went. If your family leaves the hospital, ask them to leave a phone number where they can be reached. When it is time for you to go home after the procedure, someone should drive you home. Do not drive home alone.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have a fever (increased body temperature).
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about having your port put in.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.