Search results
Jun 17, 2022 · The port can also be used for blood draws, other intravenous (IV) medications, and special imaging tests like CT (computed tomography) scans or PET (positron-emission tomography) scans. This article explains what ports are, how they're used, and their potential benefits.
- Molly Adams
- What is a chemo port? A port is a device placed under the skin which connects to one of your major veins. It looks like a disc around the size of a quarter, with a flexible tube attached.
- What are chemo ports used for? Though they’re often called “chemo ports,” they’re not just used for chemotherapy. Ports can be used to draw blood and deliver any other intravenous medication patients may need during treatment.
- How are chemo ports placed? Because ports are under the skin, they’re placed during a surgical procedure. Port installation depends on which vein is used.
- Which patients may use a chemo port? Any patient who will be undergoing regular chemotherapy or other infusions may be a candidate for a port. Some patients may only need them for a few months, while others can use a port for years.
People also ask
Do all patients with implanted ports need blood draws?
Should I have my blood drawn from a venous port?
Who can draw blood from a port?
How do I know if a blood port is working?
- What is a port, and why would you want one? 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.
- How long does it take to insert a port, and what is the recovery like? It is a short procedure, and you can expect to be in the hospital for a couple of hours.
- Does it hurt? 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).
- What does it feel like when it’s not being used for treatment? 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.
Just to blot any remaining drops of blood. There will never be any real volume. They ask that you leave the gauze on for an hour and then you are free to remove it. *It is important to have your port flushed once every 3 months. Note that every time your port is accessed for blood draws or infusions, it is flushed.
1. Not all patients who have implanted ports require blood draws from their ports. 2. Every effort should be made by all disciplines to communicate the following to patients with implanted ports: a. Although bloods can be drawn via an implanted port, there may be times when: i. a peripheral blood draw is required (e.g. certain labs, such as PTTs)
- 43KB
- 2
Healthcare providers use implanted ports to give IV treatments and blood transfusions directly into a vein. A port also allows easy access to a vein for blood draws. People with cancer, severe infections, kidney failure and IBD may need implanted ports. With the device, you need fewer needle sticks for certain treatments, like chemotherapy.
Ports can also be used to draw blood for testing. Accessing a large vein such as the SVC without a port is difficult and time-consuming to do on a regular basis; therefore, ports are very useful for cancer patients who require a long period of IV treatment and blood testing.
