Today I had surgery to remove my chemo port

timreichhart
timreichhart Member Posts: 194
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Today was my last day having my chemo port in at 9 clock this morning had surgery to remove it since I am cancer free now.

Comments

  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    Great News!
    Tim;

    Great news on the port! Great news that you are cancer free! Thanks for brightening my day.

    Deb
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Another Deported Member
    Congrats...can't wait to get mine out. My MD likes to leave it in for two years....so, that means around February...maybe an early birthday present for me....

    Was it the regular out-patient in office procedure...small cut, popped it out, and a few stitches?

    Best,
    John
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    Skiffin16 said:

    Another Deported Member
    Congrats...can't wait to get mine out. My MD likes to leave it in for two years....so, that means around February...maybe an early birthday present for me....

    Was it the regular out-patient in office procedure...small cut, popped it out, and a few stitches?

    Best,
    John

    about my port
    it was a regular out-patient and they used the same cut area as they used when they put it in and they used glue to seal it and used butterfly's to make sure it holds.
  • Fire34
    Fire34 Member Posts: 365

    about my port
    it was a regular out-patient and they used the same cut area as they used when they put it in and they used glue to seal it and used butterfly's to make sure it holds.

    Congrats
    Tim
    I wish mine was that easy. Mine got infected and had to heal from the inside out. When it was removed they packed it with antibiotic gauze, I had like 5 weeks worth of trips back & forth before it was finally closed off.
    Again congrats
    Wishes & Prayers on your recovery
    Dave
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member

    about my port
    it was a regular out-patient and they used the same cut area as they used when they put it in and they used glue to seal it and used butterfly's to make sure it holds.

    Tim
    Congratulations, Tim. Used the butterfly on me, too. Power Port, mine was an Outpatient Op in a regular Op room w/anesthesia. Scar's still very red, but no complications with the removal.

    kcass
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Kent Cass said:

    Tim
    Congratulations, Tim. Used the butterfly on me, too. Power Port, mine was an Outpatient Op in a regular Op room w/anesthesia. Scar's still very red, but no complications with the removal.

    kcass

    Power Port
    Also what I have, but I thought they could do those the same also....

    I have often wondered why they are so formal putting it in. Operating room environment, caution as it goes in to a main artery I believe.

    But the taking it out, I was under the impression it was just an office visit, local numbing and pretty much as Time had described it.

    What if the hole that they pull the tube out of doesn't close, or close properly?

    Just thoughts...
    JG
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    No C
    Tim I just love hearing this kind of good news, all the best to you my friend
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    Great
    Man, that was one sentence just full of good news. Started with "last day having chemo port in" and ending with "cancer free now". Great to see.
  • Landranger25
    Landranger25 Member Posts: 210 Member
    Pam M said:

    Great
    Man, that was one sentence just full of good news. Started with "last day having chemo port in" and ending with "cancer free now". Great to see.

    Congrats Tim
    I remember getting mine out was kind of the last thing that made me feel like I had really cleared the last hurdle. I also had a discussion with the surgeon who put it in and out. During the installation I was only half out of it. Remember feeling a lot of tugging and pulling while he was putting it in. He said that during installation the length of the catheter is critical as it goes into an artery very close to the heart and if it is too long it can push into the heart and would be very bad. For the removal procedure he conked me out completely for a very short time. Dissolving sutures and no complications. Once again kudos on the milestone. Keep it up.

    Mike
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228

    Congrats Tim
    I remember getting mine out was kind of the last thing that made me feel like I had really cleared the last hurdle. I also had a discussion with the surgeon who put it in and out. During the installation I was only half out of it. Remember feeling a lot of tugging and pulling while he was putting it in. He said that during installation the length of the catheter is critical as it goes into an artery very close to the heart and if it is too long it can push into the heart and would be very bad. For the removal procedure he conked me out completely for a very short time. Dissolving sutures and no complications. Once again kudos on the milestone. Keep it up.

    Mike

    Deported
    Glad to hear it. :) keep up the healing.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228

    Congrats Tim
    I remember getting mine out was kind of the last thing that made me feel like I had really cleared the last hurdle. I also had a discussion with the surgeon who put it in and out. During the installation I was only half out of it. Remember feeling a lot of tugging and pulling while he was putting it in. He said that during installation the length of the catheter is critical as it goes into an artery very close to the heart and if it is too long it can push into the heart and would be very bad. For the removal procedure he conked me out completely for a very short time. Dissolving sutures and no complications. Once again kudos on the milestone. Keep it up.

    Mike

    Deported
    Glad to hear it. :) keep up the healing.
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    Skiffin16 said:

    Another Deported Member
    Congrats...can't wait to get mine out. My MD likes to leave it in for two years....so, that means around February...maybe an early birthday present for me....

    Was it the regular out-patient in office procedure...small cut, popped it out, and a few stitches?

    Best,
    John

    Medi port
    John, you and I are basically on the same time frame as far as treatment, and they took mine out last March. Yep, everybody's different. I can say though that the takee-outee was small cut.....pop it out along with the tube that went up to my shoulder (Heck, didn't know about that).....then a few stiches. I now have an Equal sign where the port was placed. Only problem is the scar tissue that remained at the site periodically starts to sting, but by gritting my teeth and rubbing the area for about a minute, the sting goes away. Mine was below my left shoulder, and the seat belt sometimes causes the irritation along with a jacket left on for a while.
  • Army_Guy
    Army_Guy Member Posts: 53
    Port Out...
    Great news!! My first possst treeatment PET scaan showed me to be cancer free. My power port is due to come out in February! Hope mine goes as smooth as yours apparantly did.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    Medi port
    John, you and I are basically on the same time frame as far as treatment, and they took mine out last March. Yep, everybody's different. I can say though that the takee-outee was small cut.....pop it out along with the tube that went up to my shoulder (Heck, didn't know about that).....then a few stiches. I now have an Equal sign where the port was placed. Only problem is the scar tissue that remained at the site periodically starts to sting, but by gritting my teeth and rubbing the area for about a minute, the sting goes away. Mine was below my left shoulder, and the seat belt sometimes causes the irritation along with a jacket left on for a while.

    Sore Area
    My skin that covers the port is fairly thin....we have two pretty hard headed chocolate labs that will ram their head into that area when playing....man, that about brings me to tears it hurts so bad. I'll be glad to get that sucker out for sure.

    Mine is on the right side, no issues there...

    I was involved in a bad motorcycle wreck several years ago. As a result, my left collar bone popped out and had to be surgically repaired. For me that meant a rather large cut from the top of my shoulder and down my chest several inches. They tied the collar bone to some small hinge bone on my chest.

    Anyways, that left a scar in the area the port would have went...

    Best,
    John
  • terryscarlett
    terryscarlett Member Posts: 143
    Army_Guy said:

    Port Out...
    Great news!! My first possst treeatment PET scaan showed me to be cancer free. My power port is due to come out in February! Hope mine goes as smooth as yours apparantly did.

    deported
    Kind of makes it final, great news. Great to hear good news on here. That has made my day. Thanks for sharing..LOL
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665

    deported
    Kind of makes it final, great news. Great to hear good news on here. That has made my day. Thanks for sharing..LOL

    Port removal.
    Cogratulation's Tim! I am so happy for you. I never heard about the port untill I joined CSN. I have learned so much from this site & appreciate the challenges everyone else has gone through.