ports cath

is anyone here can tell what is a portcath is and how it works please

spider x

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Portacaths are little pouch things that are put under your skin, which connect to a central line (which is like a long tube, running from the portacath into one of your veins). When the hospital need to give you a drug intravenously (iv), like aminophylline or magnesium, they use what is called a gripper needle to attach the line to your portacath. The needle is less sharp than normal, and cos the port is bigger than a vein, they don't have ot have lots of goes at getting the needle in the right place. The needle can be left in while you are in hospital, and removed when you go home (or if you are having ivs at home it can be used there)

Cos the port is under the skin, you can have a bath or shower, go swimming (lungs permitting) etc with it in. They need flushed every now and then to prevent them clotting, but that is quick and easy to do.

I found this info on one of the cancer websites - they are often used for chemo, but can be used for other things too:

Portacaths

A Portacath is a small chamber or reservoir that sits under your skin at the end of your central line. You can feel it, but unless you are very thin you cannot usually see it. When you need treatment, your nurse puts a needle into the chamber and gives you injections or attaches a drip. This stays in place for as long as you need treatment. Then your nurse will remove it until your next treatment.

The main advantage of a Portacath is that you can't see it on the outside of your body. You don't have to have a tube coming out of your chest as you do with a central line. But others prefer a central line because they don't like having a needle put in each time they need treatment. If you prefer, you can have the area over the portacath numbed with a local anaesthetic cream before the needle goes in.

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thank you owl

can i also ask my aunt has just had one and when she comes home will have ABs and other meds through it this is what i was told today will it replace her s/c in the long term or are they just short term things? i have asked but no one seems to want to tell me anything AGAIN.

spider

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they are unlikely to use it to replace subcut - the risk of infection is a bit higher so they will probably try to use it only for things that have to go iv.

Hope she gets on ok with it