Problems with PowerPort?

tko683
tko683 Member Posts: 264 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. I have a question for anyone with a powerport. My husband had his put in in July right before his chemo started. They had problems with it last month getting drawing blood and it recently started to hurt so they ordered a port study which he had today. The doctor said that the catheter is somehow turned around and facing in the wrong direction and there is some tissue that has formed at the end of it that is likely causing the problem when they can't get blood out of it. They want to do a procedure where they go into his groin area with something and try to pull the catheter part so that it is facing in the right direction. Has anyone else had this kind of a problem with a powerport? He is supposed to have his liver resection surgery this month and now this is going on....Any advice is very appreciated. Hugs to all, Teri

Comments

  • eibod
    eibod Member Posts: 160
    #2
    Hi Teri, My husband just
    Hi Teri, My husband just had his port removed. He has had it for 2 years, often it has not given blood return, but recently, more trouble and they decided to remove it. He is scheduled to have it put back in as soon as the site heals. Hope the best for yours... Brenda
  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #3
    I didn't have that problem
    I didn't have that problem but I did have a bad blood clot (DVT) from it. Why can't they wait a little and fix it the same time they are doing his liver section?
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #4
    Teri
    First off, YIKES, that just hurts thinking about it.
    Sounds like he should have it taken care of while he's having his liver resection, I'd ask them to take care of it at the spot instead of at the groin since he's going to be under anesthesia at the time. I'd think it would also be less painful then going through the groin area and why have two surgeries done at different times, are questions I would ask the surgeons.
    So happy there are all the liver resections going on as of late, this cutting out of the cancer. WHOOOPEEE!!!
    Winter Marie
  • tko683
    tko683 Member Posts: 264 Member
    #5
    sounds like a good idea
    Thanks for your feedback. That is exactly what i thought. I have a call into his liver surgeon and am still waiting for them to call me back. I hope they will agree to do that because I really don't want to add any additional pain for him. He is already stressed to his limits. I just don't understand why all the problems with ports. I had mine for over 3 years with no problems whatsoever..very frustrating..and makes me wonder if the port was not facing the right direction does that mean the chemo was not getting into the right vein????? Thanks again, and hugs to you all. Teri
  • tommycat
    tommycat Member Posts: 790 Member
    #6
    tko683 said:

    sounds like a good idea
    Thanks for your feedback. That is exactly what i thought. I have a call into his liver surgeon and am still waiting for them to call me back. I hope they will agree to do that because I really don't want to add any additional pain for him. He is already stressed to his limits. I just don't understand why all the problems with ports. I had mine for over 3 years with no problems whatsoever..very frustrating..and makes me wonder if the port was not facing the right direction does that mean the chemo was not getting into the right vein????? Thanks again, and hugs to you all. Teri

    You have some very
    You have some very legitimate questions to ask the onc and the surgeon who placed the port.Hope it goes as smoothly as possible--you and your hubby do not need any more on your plate.
    Your friend in California~
  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #7
    not my port
    But I once had RFA to my heart, and they went in at the groin. Not painful at all, and it was an outpatient procedure.

    They do put you under, but otherwise it is pretty simple. I think they use the groin as a point of entry as there are some direct connects there near the surface, so no major cutting involved (I do not even have a scar from that procedure).

    I think this is a lot simpler than it sounds like.
  • tko683
    tko683 Member Posts: 264 Member
    #8
    Buckwirth said:

    not my port
    But I once had RFA to my heart, and they went in at the groin. Not painful at all, and it was an outpatient procedure.

    They do put you under, but otherwise it is pretty simple. I think they use the groin as a point of entry as there are some direct connects there near the surface, so no major cutting involved (I do not even have a scar from that procedure).

    I think this is a lot simpler than it sounds like.

    liver surgeon says no
    Well unfortunately, my husband's liver surgeon does not want to deal with the port problem. He wants it fixed here so we will go to the local hospital here and hopefully they will be able to fix it. I called the manufacturer of the power port and they told me that coughing or vomiting can cause this problem. I thought that was strange. Thanks all! Take good care. Hugs, Teri
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #9
    tko683 said:

    liver surgeon says no
    Well unfortunately, my husband's liver surgeon does not want to deal with the port problem. He wants it fixed here so we will go to the local hospital here and hopefully they will be able to fix it. I called the manufacturer of the power port and they told me that coughing or vomiting can cause this problem. I thought that was strange. Thanks all! Take good care. Hugs, Teri

    How Strange
    As much as I used to cough my port hasn't caused any problems and its the power port as well.
    Hmmm, go figure. Hope they fix it nicely and it doesn't do that again!!
    Winter Marie

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