Question about port for chemo?!
Question: Question about port for chemo.?
My friend who has been recently diagnosed with small cell carcinoma lung cancer asked me to look up info on getting a port put in for chemo. Anyone who knows about this or has any info to share would be greatly appreciated.
thanks in advanceHealth Question & Answer
thanks in advanceHealth Question & Answer
Answers:
Ports are AWESOME. There are different kinds, port a caths are completly under the skin and only 'accessed' when in use and can stay longer with a lot less maintence. It is a surgical proceedure to place and remove done under conscious sedation either by surgical dept or radiology dept, using flouroscope cameras. A PICC is a temp line that has parts hanging out of the skin, has an open wound and must be constantly covered and has a lot of maintance. These can be placed and pulled at the bed side with nothing more than an ultrasound machine. They are both awesome things.
They are used for a number of reasons. Primarily, a lot of the meds (chemo but also a lot of the other iv meds that she wil get) can damage the veins. The catheter protects the veins. The med will enter the catheter, the catherer threads through the vein and ends at the tip of the heart where the iv meds are immediatly mixed with the huge amount of blood at the heart, and no longer at such a concentration that would damage the veins as bad.
also, the patient wont have to be stuck with needles as much. They can be used to admin IV meds, but can also be used to draw blood. It wont avoid all sticks, but a lot of them. After being stuck a lot, the veins get hard and scared and it can be difficult to get an IV or needle in at all.
Meds can be given at a fast rate. I have small veins in my arms, and the IV pump has to be set very slow in order to avoid loosing the IV. A port can go much faster, and can also be turned off when not in use. You would loose an IV if not in use after a few hours.
This is the website of the common manufactuerer
http://bardaccess.com/index.php
And this is an example of one she may receive (though I have no idea which one she would get... but she could ask the doc and look it up on this site)
http://bardaccess.com/port-xport-duo.phpHealth Question & Answer
They are used for a number of reasons. Primarily, a lot of the meds (chemo but also a lot of the other iv meds that she wil get) can damage the veins. The catheter protects the veins. The med will enter the catheter, the catherer threads through the vein and ends at the tip of the heart where the iv meds are immediatly mixed with the huge amount of blood at the heart, and no longer at such a concentration that would damage the veins as bad.
also, the patient wont have to be stuck with needles as much. They can be used to admin IV meds, but can also be used to draw blood. It wont avoid all sticks, but a lot of them. After being stuck a lot, the veins get hard and scared and it can be difficult to get an IV or needle in at all.
Meds can be given at a fast rate. I have small veins in my arms, and the IV pump has to be set very slow in order to avoid loosing the IV. A port can go much faster, and can also be turned off when not in use. You would loose an IV if not in use after a few hours.
This is the website of the common manufactuerer
http://bardaccess.com/index.php
And this is an example of one she may receive (though I have no idea which one she would get... but she could ask the doc and look it up on this site)
http://bardaccess.com/port-xport-duo.phpHealth Question & Answer
It is a small tube, generally in your upper chest, but sometimes in the arm, that goes directly into an artery. They can leave it in longer than a regular IV, and then they don't have to screw up your veins. YOu have to take certain steps to keep it clean and covered, because if it gets infected it's a direct line to your blood stream (and heart) and you can get really sick, especially when your immune system is low from your cancer and chemo. It hurts when they put it in, but most times they can use it for the whole time you are getting chemo, and for other meds if they have to give you those. I had one when in the hospital for surgery and I liked it SO much more than the IV's I'd always had before. Of course, it made a small scar and the adhesive around it did too, but I'm allergic to adhesives. Mine did not hurt after it was in, but some people say it's tender at the site (where it goes in your skin).Health Question & Answer
A port is a catheter which is implanted under the skin and into one of the large veins in the chest. It is then used as an access for chemo treatments. This procedure is done usually by interventional radiologists or a vascular surgeon. It is a relatively quick procedure (approx. 1 hr) and is very commonly done. Your friend needs to speak to the doctor doing the procedure for exact details.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/conten...Health Question & Answer
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/conten...Health Question & Answer
Your friends oncologist should be able to answer this type of question very easily. My son had a double lumen central line surgically implanted. He found it fairly easy to care for.
There are several different types of 'ports' that are used for intravenous chemotherapy . .which also come in handy for hydration, drugs, blood tests, and blood transfusions.
The types used include:
Central Venus Line Cathetar (Broviac and Hickman) - surgically implanted in a vein through the neck . . a long tube (line) stays on the outside of the body all during cancer treatment.
Port a Cath - inserted underneath the skin and is accessed using a needle with a tube attached
PICC Line - Usually inserted through the arm and threaded into the vein towards the heart.
You can find more information about these and other types of ports at:
http://www.chemocare.com/whatis/how_is_c...Health Question & Answer
There are several different types of 'ports' that are used for intravenous chemotherapy . .which also come in handy for hydration, drugs, blood tests, and blood transfusions.
The types used include:
Central Venus Line Cathetar (Broviac and Hickman) - surgically implanted in a vein through the neck . . a long tube (line) stays on the outside of the body all during cancer treatment.
Port a Cath - inserted underneath the skin and is accessed using a needle with a tube attached
PICC Line - Usually inserted through the arm and threaded into the vein towards the heart.
You can find more information about these and other types of ports at:
http://www.chemocare.com/whatis/how_is_c...Health Question & Answer
Here are two links to get you started with basic information. She could be looking at a "central line", which ends with a tube outside the skin, or a "portacath" which is a bulb that sits under the skin and after the surgery is healed is not open.
Another name is PICC, which is another type of central line.
.?page=302#central" rel="nofollow">http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/defaul...
.?page=302#port" rel="nofollow">http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/defaul...
It's not necessarily safer to have a port or central line. There are infection risks. But it can be easier than having an IV in the arm. My husband didn't want a port, had all his chemo via IV without problems...the chemo nurses are expert at finding veins!
Good luck to your friend!Health Question & Answer
Another name is PICC, which is another type of central line.
.?page=302#central" rel="nofollow">http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/defaul...
.?page=302#port" rel="nofollow">http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/defaul...
It's not necessarily safer to have a port or central line. There are infection risks. But it can be easier than having an IV in the arm. My husband didn't want a port, had all his chemo via IV without problems...the chemo nurses are expert at finding veins!
Good luck to your friend!Health Question & Answer
Strongly recommended. Chemo is very hard on the veins. Having to set up a catheter each treatment is going to compromise your friend's veins. In addition to chemo, they do bloodwork before each treatment, plus numerous diagnostic procedures which involve injections and such. You feel like a pincushion quickly, and all that poking is traumatic to veins.
Go for the portacath.Health Question & Answer
Go for the portacath.Health Question & Answer
get one my wife did it makes chemo much safer and easierHealth Question & Answer