Sepsis due to port irrigation

Dynamo

Have any of you experienced this? I have been cancer free since January and all was going along well. My gyno/oncol leaves the ports in unless there is a reason to remove it. I had my port flushed during a routine visit and three hours later, I was very ill. I was taken to the emergency room and then admitted to the Advance Care floor. I spent two days there and three more days on a regular floor undergoing massive doses of IV antibiotics. They removed the port and I am now home. I was shocked that things could get that bad so quickly. It seems that during the flushing of the port, bacteria was some how introduced into my b;oodstream. Just wondering if any of you have had this experience.
Dynamo

TDodds68

Port
I have not heard of it but I also have a port in my chest. I was told after my treatments were finished if the port stays in which they want to do they would have to flush it and put the heperin in once a month. Were your doctors doing this since January when your treatments were done? If they were that does make me a little nervous.

MichaelaMarie

TDodds68 said:

Port
I have not heard of it but I also have a port in my chest. I was told after my treatments were finished if the port stays in which they want to do they would have to flush it and put the heperin in once a month. Were your doctors doing this since January when your treatments were done? If they were that does make me a little nervous.

Sepsis
Hello,

So sorry to hear how terribly sick you have been, but are glad to know you are better now. I also have a port and must have it flushed once a month. Like TDodds68 asked, I also am curious if you had been having the port flushed? I get the impression that the doctors and nurses don't keep track of it for us, which I think they should. When you are not getting chemo it is very easy to let the time slip as I have done. I'm anxious to know too. Take good care, MM

jane65

Dynamo
Hi,
What a horrible experience you had, that would really throw me for a loop.

Like the other ladies, I have my port flushed once a month, whether I'm having chemo or not.

It's been in for over 2 years, and works well although sometimes the nurse has to flush it a couple of times until she gets a good blood return.

I did have an infection in the port about a year ago, my oncologist had noticed the red streaks around the port and started me on antibiotics immediately. It cleared up quickly.

Good luck to you,
Jane

Dynamo

TDodds68 said:

Port
I have not heard of it but I also have a port in my chest. I was told after my treatments were finished if the port stays in which they want to do they would have to flush it and put the heperin in once a month. Were your doctors doing this since January when your treatments were done? If they were that does make me a little nervous.

Port
At the office I go to, they flush ports every three months when you come in for regular checkups. During chemo, I had it flushed all the time. Three months did seem a little long to me also. I guess it usually is not a problem, but for me this one time, things went very wrong. I have to tell you, it is a really liberating feeling to have the port gone.

Unknown

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