porta carh

hi any one who has such a device i am having one in the next few months as no viens left keep having series crashes every four to six weeks so cons have now decided i need one as havig fem line or cv line tomany times i have been told it would need flushin every six weeks is it v uncomfortable or do you frget it is there rachel c

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hi rach

Do you mean a porta cath??

I have had one in the past. Basically it is just like a lnog line except that the port is buried just underneath your skin so nothing is visable and it is less likely to get infected. mine was placed about 3 inches above my left breast. All you can feel underneath the skin is a bubble a bit like bubble wrap although it is made of metal underneath!!

Mine was done under a GA and although a little sore afterwards you really do soon forget it is there. Flushing it is no biggie either and after using it for a couple of months you no longer even feel a scratch.

The only downside to it is that when you are having meds through it they cant use it for taking blood as you get false high readings. Not a problem if you are costafied and have an art line in as they can use that but if you need to have regular aminophyllin or potassium levels done on the ward it can be a problem.

I now have a Hickman line which although has to be changed more frequently ( about once a year) it has three ports so can be used for taking bloods whiloe the other ports are being used. They are more prone to infection however as the ports are above the skin.

i hope this is of some use to you!!!!

Ribena

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Hey,

I had a hickman line nearly 2 years ago now, it was a godsend whilst I had it which unfortunately wasn't very long. The staff at my local didn’t understand enough about it and usually when I was admitted there was nobody around that knew how to use it and I still ended up with venflons purely because they didn’t have time to find someone that did know how to use it. I managed to pick up MRSA which got through the line and turned in bacteraemia and sepsis. I was very unwell with it, I didn't want to eat and slept continuously for around 4 days with jumpers on and quilts over my head. As there were no other symptoms (the line entry site didn't even look red) I sat the first week of it out a home wondering what was wrong. I went to my GP who prescribed penicillin based antibiotics which are obviously no good for MRSA as its resistant so they didn't work. After a few more days and nasty palpitations I decided enough was enough and went to A&E. The way as treated there was terrible and purely because of lack of knowledge, the SHO there went to examine the line site without even washing his hands. They were going to send me home as the line didn't look infected but kept me in just because I had a temperature. A few days later my blood results were back and the line was removed.

I guess what I'm trying to say is think about it first, it may same like a really good option but the risk of infection for people that are on immune suppressants like prednisolone is very big. I've been to scared to have another line put in since as I'm still MRSA positive on my skin.

Sorry if this post wasn’t of any help,

Tks xxxxx

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porta cath

thanks for that information bloods they will take from groin or else there is one small vein where they can get blood from and do levels etc seen con tuesday he has revered me to vasulur surgeon so just waiting now been told till have it done have to have central line when i go in during my splat and high dose of amino 1,5 or 2 will be sick as a dog but levels just keep plumeting thanks again rachel c

[KateMoss]

Hi Rachel,

I haven't had a porta cath but had friends who have had them.

Some managed quite well with them and they lasted some time,

One friend had a hickman line for 18 months.

There is also something called a perma cath but don't know too much about it apart that it is supposed to be better than a porta cath.

Also you can be taught to manage and flush it your self which would save having to rely on trained nurses. Just a thought.

Take care

Kate

XXX

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Hiya rach like you im waiting for somethimg as acess a major problem but like TKS as i have MRSA on my skin they were reluctant before and have held off as long s possible but now its a xasse of needs must but its something im not going into lightly, i have the added bonus of both me andmy mum aswell as several friends being trained nurses but even with the best aseptic techniques things can ge infected. My cons at local wants me to have a hickman line, my cons at lung centre a port? but apparently hickman lines get infected quicker so hopefully having he port.

good luck

andrea x

[yaf_user681_27638]

porta cath

Hi I have had three port a caths and seven hickmans over the last twelve years. They put them in under local as I can not take a general. They do get infected because of the quantity going through as I am on continuous infusion even at home. But they are better than struggling for veins. you hardly notice a port a cath and you usu a gripper needle to access it. Takes a bit to get used too but soon becomes part of you.