I get my port at 2pm today now my question is.....................

TracieLC1972
TracieLC1972 Member Posts: 15
edited November 2011 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
I have had a PICC and it went bad so the doctor (resident)said she wanted to either put in a port or a hohn and I asked her to PLEASE put in a port and she said no I think a double lumen hohn is the best for you so on Oct 26,2011 that is what I had done. Well, well, last week it quit working. I was just being used for transfusions and flushings just right now but anyway, I went in to the chemo center to have it worked on and one of the lumen burst. so they had to pull it and they ran and called the attending and he said to call and set up to have the port. So at 2pm today I have a port put in. I start chemo and radiation at the beginning of the month.

How do they put the port in? I know someone just asked how they take it out, now I am asking how they put them in

I have Stage IIIc Grage II adenocarcinoma, endometrioid type with squamous differentiation that is what the pathology report said can someone please translate into english to me I mean everyone speaks into initials and I do not know what I have. sorry for the ignorance


Thank you

Tracie

Comments

  • TiggersDoBounce
    TiggersDoBounce Member Posts: 408
    #2
    Tracie
    I personally never had a port for my chemo....BUT I did find this online...I am sure one of the other ladies can help with a more personal experience...Hope this helps! Laurie

    Taken from the www.macmillan.org.uk website

    Your port will be put in at the hospital by a specialist doctor. It is usually done in the operating theatre or an area called the vascular radiology unit. It will usually be put in under a local anaesthetic, but sometimes a general anaesthetic is used.

    Before your surgery it might be helpful to discuss the position of the port with the doctor.

    You will have a small needle put into a vein in your arm or hand and you will be given medicine to help you to relax. The doctor will inject a local anaesthetic into your skin to numb a couple of small areas on your chest and neck. After this you may be aware of activity around you and you might feel some pressure on your chest (or arm) during the procedure, but you should not feel any pain.

    You will have one or two small cuts made in your skin (incisions). If the port is put into a vein in your chest, it will be placed in an incision on your upper chest that will be about 3–4cm (1–1½in) long. There will be a smaller incision above this, usually less than 1–2cm (½–1in) long. The catheter will be put into a vein in your chest and tunnelled under the skin from the lower incision to the incision above. The catheter is attached to the port, which is fitted into a space created under the skin. The incisions are then stitched. If the stitches are not dissolvable, they will be removed after about 7–10 days, when the wound heals.

    You will have a chest x-ray to make sure the port is in the right place.

    You may have a small dressing to cover the wounds for a day or so after the procedure. The nursing team will teach you how to look after this.

    You may feel a bit sore and bruised for a few days after the port is put in. A mild painkiller such as paracetamol will help.

    Immediately after the port has been put in, and for a few days after, check for any redness, swelling, bleeding, bruising, pain or heat around the wounds. Let your hospital doctor know straight away if you have any of these signs as you could have an infection, which may need to be treated.
  • txtrisha55
    txtrisha55 Member Posts: 693 Member
    #3
    Ask for a Bard Power Port
    If you have a choice ask for a Bard Power Port as that will take care of everything. Drawing blood, getting chemo and it can be used to run the imaging dye through it for CT Scans (if you get those). I do not know what others may have but this is what I have.

    http://www.bardaccess.com/port-powerport.php web site

    Mine is on the right side about 3" under my collar bone so have about an inch scar where the drs cut to insert it. I have another 1/2" scar up futher on the neck where the drs cut to insert the tube into the vein that runs down your neck to the heart.

    I had a bad sinus infection and my regular dr took an xray of my chest and he had to show me the xray because he thought it was so cool that it showed up on the xray.

    It is a small triangle shape with 3 bumbs on it to show where the middle is and can be felt through the skin. The palpation bumps and unique triangular shape of PowerPort* Implantable ports make them easily distinguishable from non-power ports. The PowerPort* devices offer easy, flexible placement and access.

    You are given a local and they also shoot medicine into the area to deaden the area. 1" cut to put the port in and a 1/2" cut to run the tube in. I was done within an hour, rested about an hour, then had to be put in a wheelchair to go to imaging where they used the port that day.

    It has been real easy. No stiches they just closed the cut with surgical tape. Hope everything goes well for you. trish
  • JoAnnDK
    JoAnnDK Member Posts: 275
    #4
    txtrisha55 said:

    Ask for a Bard Power Port
    If you have a choice ask for a Bard Power Port as that will take care of everything. Drawing blood, getting chemo and it can be used to run the imaging dye through it for CT Scans (if you get those). I do not know what others may have but this is what I have.

    http://www.bardaccess.com/port-powerport.php web site

    Mine is on the right side about 3" under my collar bone so have about an inch scar where the drs cut to insert it. I have another 1/2" scar up futher on the neck where the drs cut to insert the tube into the vein that runs down your neck to the heart.

    I had a bad sinus infection and my regular dr took an xray of my chest and he had to show me the xray because he thought it was so cool that it showed up on the xray.

    It is a small triangle shape with 3 bumbs on it to show where the middle is and can be felt through the skin. The palpation bumps and unique triangular shape of PowerPort* Implantable ports make them easily distinguishable from non-power ports. The PowerPort* devices offer easy, flexible placement and access.

    You are given a local and they also shoot medicine into the area to deaden the area. 1" cut to put the port in and a 1/2" cut to run the tube in. I was done within an hour, rested about an hour, then had to be put in a wheelchair to go to imaging where they used the port that day.

    It has been real easy. No stiches they just closed the cut with surgical tape. Hope everything goes well for you. trish

    Power Port
    Tracie, I think I recall being told that there were a lot of internal stitches when I had the Power Port installed. I was given whatever it is that allows you to talk — but you have that feeling of being far, far away.

    My port is a small bump on my chest. A friend of mine calls it her third boob!

    I got a tube of Lidocaine (prescription) prior to having my port accessed the first time. You put on a glob of it (do not rub it in) and cover this with taped-down saran wrap an hour before access is done. You will never feel any pain.

    Best wishes

    JOANN
  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #5
    txtrisha55 said:

    Ask for a Bard Power Port
    If you have a choice ask for a Bard Power Port as that will take care of everything. Drawing blood, getting chemo and it can be used to run the imaging dye through it for CT Scans (if you get those). I do not know what others may have but this is what I have.

    http://www.bardaccess.com/port-powerport.php web site

    Mine is on the right side about 3" under my collar bone so have about an inch scar where the drs cut to insert it. I have another 1/2" scar up futher on the neck where the drs cut to insert the tube into the vein that runs down your neck to the heart.

    I had a bad sinus infection and my regular dr took an xray of my chest and he had to show me the xray because he thought it was so cool that it showed up on the xray.

    It is a small triangle shape with 3 bumbs on it to show where the middle is and can be felt through the skin. The palpation bumps and unique triangular shape of PowerPort* Implantable ports make them easily distinguishable from non-power ports. The PowerPort* devices offer easy, flexible placement and access.

    You are given a local and they also shoot medicine into the area to deaden the area. 1" cut to put the port in and a 1/2" cut to run the tube in. I was done within an hour, rested about an hour, then had to be put in a wheelchair to go to imaging where they used the port that day.

    It has been real easy. No stiches they just closed the cut with surgical tape. Hope everything goes well for you. trish

    I had a regular Bard Port
    I was diagnosed with Grade 2 Stage iiia Endometrial Adenocarcinoma and just as a prevention did the chemo. I still don't know why they put a port in but at that time I was scared and went with what the doctor said. Although the port is great and really saves your veins from the strong chemos.

    I was fully awake for the first part of the insertion. The first part is that they have to put in a "guide wire" for the doctor who will be inserting the port. They make an incision about an inch or two where the port will be and one where the port will be and place a "guide wire" in. When the tech was putting in the wire, I indicated to him that I felt it in my arm pit and he readjusted it. After that I was put under anesthestic and the port was placed. My port shows up on xrays as a round circle with a hole in it. (Sort of like a life saver). It is all done on an outpatient basis.

    For a few days, it may be tender. I started chemo with mine within a week of getting the port placed.

    Although my last chemo was in June of 2006, I just recently had it removed. ALl you need to do is have it flushed monthly when you are finished with treatment.

    My best to you. I hope all goes smoothly for you today.

    Kathy

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