Port scars - how do they look down the line?

ender
ender Member Posts: 167
Hi there,

After advice from this forum and elsewhere I decided on a port after all. My MO and the chemo nurses said I had good veins, but when I told them I decided on a port after all they said they were glad.

I had the port put in Friday, and I am recovering well. First chemo on Wednesday.

One thing I did not realize was that there would be two scars, both where the port is placed and up on my neck where the catheter ends. Knowing this beforehand would not have changed my decision. Nevertheless, I wonder how the scars look after all is over. I have been trying to find pictures online, but have not found much. If anyone has a good link to share with pictures of port scars, both the neck scar and the chest scar, that would be great.

Eva

Comments

  • It's a rather innocuous scar...
    in my opinion. I have seen a couple on older survivors and they run about 1 to 1.5 inches, typically. The google images of 'port scars' that came up looked reasonably representative of what I have and have seen on others.
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    Port scars
    Hi Eva,

    My port was put in my upper left chest in 2/2010 and was removed in 11/2010. There is no scar whatsoever on my neck. I couldn't find it if I tried. There are actually 2 scars on my chest. The implantation scar is about an inch long,horizontal, flat and fading. It is pretty innocuous. The removal scar is just slightly offset from the implantation scar, about an inch long, raised and still pink (6 months later!). It still itches on occasion and would be noticeable by others. All that being said, it was absolutely the right thing to do to have it put in before my 16 rounds of chemo. That little scar is NOTHING in comparison to the mastectomy scar. Think of it as the mark of a superhero. IRENE
  • ender
    ender Member Posts: 167

    Port scars
    Hi Eva,

    My port was put in my upper left chest in 2/2010 and was removed in 11/2010. There is no scar whatsoever on my neck. I couldn't find it if I tried. There are actually 2 scars on my chest. The implantation scar is about an inch long,horizontal, flat and fading. It is pretty innocuous. The removal scar is just slightly offset from the implantation scar, about an inch long, raised and still pink (6 months later!). It still itches on occasion and would be noticeable by others. All that being said, it was absolutely the right thing to do to have it put in before my 16 rounds of chemo. That little scar is NOTHING in comparison to the mastectomy scar. Think of it as the mark of a superhero. IRENE

    Thanks guys! I am really
    Thanks guys! I am really happy to hear the neck scar will fade to oblivion :) That one would be hard to hide.

    Eva
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    ender said:

    Thanks guys! I am really
    Thanks guys! I am really happy to hear the neck scar will fade to oblivion :) That one would be hard to hide.

    Eva

    ....I had a port too~ so I
    ....I had a port too~ so I hope you feel no disrespect from me!! I mean NONE whatsoever! But for some twisted reason, should you be the one in a million with a visible scar on your neck, and with the popularity of Vampires in the movies and TV~ well, heck! I would soooo blame any neck scars on a Vampire! And I would also have a good story to go along with it! Cancer isn't fun...but that doesn't mean we can't still be silly and imaginative!

    Chances are you won't have any Vampire stories to tell...but I'm just sayin'! LOL

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    1 scar


    I only had 1 incision site when my port was put in - nothing on my neck. Well I do hve 2 scars on the other side of my neck but they from the radiation burns. The scar from the port is about an inch long and is just narroww line that is hardly noticeable unless you ar looking for it. I don't have a removal scar as it has 't been removed yet - will be in for another 3 yrs, 3 mths just in case. Susan
  • Jennifer1961
    Jennifer1961 Member Posts: 137
    Mine is about an inch where
    Mine is about an inch where the port was, the catheter one is tiny.
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    Eva
    I only have the one scar where port was placed and removed (dr used the same incision). It's about 2 inches long. Mine was removed in January 2011 and it's a thin white line, slightly red around the edges. Time will heal it.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • jendrey
    jendrey Member Posts: 377
    cahjah75 said:

    Eva
    I only have the one scar where port was placed and removed (dr used the same incision). It's about 2 inches long. Mine was removed in January 2011 and it's a thin white line, slightly red around the edges. Time will heal it.
    {{hugs}} Char

    ...
    I don't have any scar whatsoever on my neck! I have a scar, about 1½ inches long from placing the port. It's a very faint white line that I have to look real close to see.

    Unfortunately, the scar left when the port was removed is a keloid type of scar. I've never, ever, had any scarring of the keloid type before. It is red, ugly looking, extends way over the edges of the wound and it itches.
  • ender
    ender Member Posts: 167
    jendrey said:

    ...
    I don't have any scar whatsoever on my neck! I have a scar, about 1½ inches long from placing the port. It's a very faint white line that I have to look real close to see.

    Unfortunately, the scar left when the port was removed is a keloid type of scar. I've never, ever, had any scarring of the keloid type before. It is red, ugly looking, extends way over the edges of the wound and it itches.

    Thanks for all the comments!
    Thanks for all the comments! Some reassuring, some honest, and some funny. Chen: No offense taken :) Im too old to be a Twilight fan ... but I am.

    Eva
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    Trying to figure out
    So are you saying that the port was inplanted but the tubing left external and then inserted in your neck? So you have a loop of tubing externally? I don't understand (based on my experience with getting my port) why you'd have 2 incision.

    Susan
  • ender
    ender Member Posts: 167
    Rague said:

    Trying to figure out
    So are you saying that the port was inplanted but the tubing left external and then inserted in your neck? So you have a loop of tubing externally? I don't understand (based on my experience with getting my port) why you'd have 2 incision.

    Susan

    Hi Rague!
    No. I have a port

    Hi Rague!

    No. I have a port in my chest and a catheter going up my neck. Nothing is outside of my body. But there is also a scar on my neck where the catheter ends. I too was confused about this, as I don't remember being put on notice about two scars. Does this mean something went wrong? The surgeon said everything went great.

    Eva
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    ender said:

    Hi Rague!
    No. I have a port

    Hi Rague!

    No. I have a port in my chest and a catheter going up my neck. Nothing is outside of my body. But there is also a scar on my neck where the catheter ends. I too was confused about this, as I don't remember being put on notice about two scars. Does this mean something went wrong? The surgeon said everything went great.

    Eva

    WHEW!
    I 'pictured' what you were saying as that the port itself was implanted below clavical and the the tubing was left sticking out and the inserted in your neck from what you said.

    I have no idea what it means - the people I know in this are who have ports only have one scar - most were implanted by my surgeon. I guess different surgeons can have different techinques. Don't know your weight but surgeon told me it's harder to implant in 'thin' people so I'd be a bit harder. I thought he was being sarcastic as at 5'6" and 175 lbs - I did not consider myself 'thin' by any means. He explained what he meant and yes he was right - I carry weignt around 'middle' - not upper body where he was doing surgery.

    Susan
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    Rague said:

    WHEW!
    I 'pictured' what you were saying as that the port itself was implanted below clavical and the the tubing was left sticking out and the inserted in your neck from what you said.

    I have no idea what it means - the people I know in this are who have ports only have one scar - most were implanted by my surgeon. I guess different surgeons can have different techinques. Don't know your weight but surgeon told me it's harder to implant in 'thin' people so I'd be a bit harder. I thought he was being sarcastic as at 5'6" and 175 lbs - I did not consider myself 'thin' by any means. He explained what he meant and yes he was right - I carry weignt around 'middle' - not upper body where he was doing surgery.

    Susan

    Eva
    I too have the two scars. I think the second scar nearest to the neck was just a small incision to guide the tubing to where it need to be inserted in the vein. Although my smaller scar is about two inches above my port scar and really not near my neck more near my collar bone. Interestingly enough, I had my port put in in early November and my port scar is more prevalent then my mastectomy scars. Not sure if this is because upon suturing a breast surgeon was doing the process versus a plastic surgeon who closed my mastectomy incisions(PS's are more careful about appearance)? I'm hoping it fades somewhat because you can see it at times when I'm wearing a tank top.

    Good Luck,

    Lorrie
  • ender
    ender Member Posts: 167

    Eva
    I too have the two scars. I think the second scar nearest to the neck was just a small incision to guide the tubing to where it need to be inserted in the vein. Although my smaller scar is about two inches above my port scar and really not near my neck more near my collar bone. Interestingly enough, I had my port put in in early November and my port scar is more prevalent then my mastectomy scars. Not sure if this is because upon suturing a breast surgeon was doing the process versus a plastic surgeon who closed my mastectomy incisions(PS's are more careful about appearance)? I'm hoping it fades somewhat because you can see it at times when I'm wearing a tank top.

    Good Luck,

    Lorrie

    Interesting! Im 5'4 and 110
    Interesting! Im 5'4 and 110 lbs. Im not too concerned about the second scar, but I was caught off guard as I did not realize there would be a second scar. I have a post op visit with my surgeon on Friday and will ask him about it. I guess it is fair to say the second scar is at the base of my neck.

    Eva