Port Removal - What's it like?
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I'll repost this here from the Port Placement thread--
The Port Removal was easy. I had it done at a hospital (with a Radiologist Dr. doing the procedure) and they said they handled it as they would any surgery, even if it is one of the most minor and common ones they do. I had very light sedation (as in, it felt as if I wasn't sedated at all!!! Same as when I had it placed). I talked through the whole procedure again, even though I was a bit sleepy from not having any coffee (or food or drink) since midnight before. Felt no pain other than the shots of local anesthesia they give you. They go in through the same incision, take out the port... no need to have that second incision at the neck... flush the area with antibiotics, then sew up with dissolving stitches underneath, then glue the skin and put surgical tape over, which you leave on until it falls off.
I was still awake through an hour of recovery. The nurse was nice and brought me juice and a turkey sandwich to eat. Got dressed and left. Haven't felt any pain since then (after anesthesia wears off).
I had to check in 2 hours before--to fill out forms and then get set up in the pre-op waiting rooms. Procedure took maybe an hour.
Felt fine all evening and ate a good dinner. I have to watch and not get it wet for 2 days, and keep it covered in the shower/bath for 5 days, and watch for the usual signs of infection, and that's all.
I loved my port! I had it over a year and it got good use and it was no trouble at all... But I'm also happy to have had it removed. Hopefully, I won't need one again!
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Two Months post port removal--
Scar has a slight keloid, but is healing pretty well. Area felt a little thickened where the port was... probably some slight seroma, but is pretty flat, and seems to be getting better all the time. It is SO nice not having to worry about knocking into my port, and sleeping on my side without worrying about squeezing it in a weird way. Felt a little bit of adhesions where it went into my neck/vein, but isn't limiting movement at all.
Yay!
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Double YAY April. Happy Girl
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I have pain in my shoulder and chest area when I bump the port and the doctor said oh no it shouldn't bother you , I told them OH YES IT DOES !!!! Its a pain in my neck because I sleep on the right side where my port is and its uncomfortable to have it there, but I have a disc in my neck on the left side so they couldn't put it there. I am done with Chemo as of June 2nd, 2016 and i'm almost done with radiation and they don't even use it so i'm ready to get mine out to and join you all !!!! I see my surgeon in Sept and i'm asking her if I can get it out. My oncologist said I don't need it anymore and she didn't have any problem with it being removed so i'm planning on getting rid of it once and I hope for ALL !!!!
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Mi85 all things are relative. If you weren't having pain that you associate with the port I'd recommend keeping it as long as you can. Years.
BUT you identify, that you are having pain that you associate with the port. Makes it a whole different scenario.
Insertion placement is done on a routine design, doesn't mean our bodies routinely follow the design. Even a small divergence in some bodies causes unique pain that the inserter can't account for. It's that way with all surgeries.
Ports can cause pain, so begone you pain maker-----Poof!
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On September 9, 2016 at 2:30 pm I am scheduled to have my port removed after being Cancer Free since 2007! I have been told that the tissues surrounding the port may cause the radiologist some concern! If it doesn't cause him/her some concern it is causing me to be a little scared! On April 12, 2016 I went to surgery to have a heart Defibrillator implanted and at the time I was told that the port was going to be removed at the same time! I was awaken in recovery and very disappointed when I ask my heart surgeon how did my surgery go when he removed the port and placed the defibrillator in my chest! My heart surgeon told me that he didn't remove the port because it may cause me to have a lot of bleeding and it may cause some infection in my port area where he would be feeding a tube in my heart arteries! I was kind of upset for not removing my port because it haven't returned blood now for nearly a year! When the PortaCath was inserted I was put to sleep now I am afraid because my oncoligist said that the radiologist at West Cancer Center will remove the port with local anesthesia! Can someone who has had a port as long or nearly as long as I have that may have heart problems or breathing issues or other serious issues since chemo and radiation therapy tell me what to expect with removing the port from my vein? I am scared and panicking as I read the articles! I will definitely be taking an Ativan before this procedure on Friday! 😱🙏🏾👼🏾😷👀0 -
Dollbaby, Multiple thoughts. Possibility of delay till you get your answers squared away. If you take the ativan, just make sure they know it.
First I'll describe, the radiology part. They will be in sterile gear with tech doing instruments and an RN running things. Radiologists do these procedures all the time and have for many years. It started as the importance of fluoroscopy/ CT guided therapy was identified as the safest way to do many procedures. You will have a monitor, BP, likely an oximeter. Varies on O2 when it's local.
On a risk level local is the best, but you are also a heart patient with an implantable defib. You could ask for Anesthesia b/c of your concerns about your heart. They may blow you off at first, you just need to be insistent. Anesthesia can use Diprivan which is a very good drug for short term use and light anesthesia. Once they stop the drip you wake up with in minutes.
In situations where what I want differs than what they what, I play the safety card. Medical folks have safety drilled into their brains. This is the time to use the heart problem to your advantage. Saying something like " With the significant heart history, there is a greater risk that under local that my body will react enough that my heart may not work right. This puts me at a higher risk for something happening, by having an Anesthesiologist monitoring my vital signs and heart and using medications that will not allow my body to be putting out lot's of adrenaline b/c of fear, I will be safer going through this." Keep stressing the safety factor, if they still resist, keep repeating the above example in several ways. The key is to interject the word safety. Once they hear that several times, it should trip them into doing it. Remember they are programmed to respond to that word.
Make sure insurance is preapproved for Anesthesia coverage, as it could be near a 1000$ dollars or even way more. This is why I said there may be a delay getting the procedure done. It's not usual to have anesthesia for this procedure.
If you can get your cardiologist to write a statement that it would be safer for you to have the procedure with Anesthesiologist coverage. It will help with the insurance approval. Use the safety angle on him too.
In all you have to talk too, to get this done remember to use the word safer/ safety/ safe often.
I would like to know when all is said and done, if this works for you. Frankly, I would do exactly what I suggested b/c it is safer.
sassy
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Dollbaby, I had anesthesia when my port was put in and also when it was taken out. No discussion about it--its just how they do it.
Another reason to have your port removed while under anesthesia is because it has been in your body for so long. Good luck!
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Dollbaby, I so agree with Cowgirl. But in this day of Obamacare, insurance can be difficult. There is another port thread both of us have written on. The safest way to do it is with anesthesia and a surgical field. A proper surgical field can be created in the OR or in the Interventional Radiology area. The unsafest worst approach is in the doc's office. You may have seen mention of that either here or on the other port thread.
I was thinking about my post re: the use of "safe" and that everyone medically is preprogrammed to respond. I thought about when I was started to be programmed? Nursing school. When did I start programming others? Nursing school.
I have never described, how you can get someone to do what you want by using the term. Actually, would have been a nice thing to teach my students.
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My experience was probably way different than any of your experiences with port removal. I got the port put into my arm at the beginning of chemo, but after my second treatment, it got infected with STAPH and I had a fever of 103 degrees that would NOT go down. I had to get it removed because of the fever, but they couldn't put me under because I had eaten something a couple hours before. They just had to use numbing shots (like they would put in your gums for getting a tooth out) in the inflamed arm. It hurt like a mother-- when it came out, but my fever immediately went down. I was ok within a couple of hours after they removed it.
After-care was a pain in the butt though. I had to clean the site and stuff cotton down the wound every night before bed, and my husband had to give me a shot to prevent blood-clotting every single morning and evening, so I didn't experience any issues from the port removal.
I am not sure if this is standard for port removal, but that was my experience.
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garrett, Removals with ports can be done under local. Particularly, arm ports.
My contention and Cowgirls is that Anesthesia for a central port is the safest.
I stated where they should occur. OR or an Interventional Radiology area designed for that purpose.
When removing a central port in the OR or Interventional Radiology, the equipment to handle any emergency is located in the room or is very closely available
Cowgirls comment " Another reason to have your port removed while under anesthesia is because it has been in your body for so long." To extend that thought. Scar tissue can form around foreign objects in the body. When scar tissue is released(cut) to remove the object that may cause an unforeseen problem. Having this procedure done in a place that can immediately handle the unforeseen problem is the safest. A doc's office does NOT have that capability.
Strict sterile technique on insertion and discontinuation should be used to prevent infection.
I'll link to the other port thread. In a recent post, I picked a few video's on technique. The first link in that group is a demonstration video that I highlight many of the breaches in sterile technique.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics/721889?page=36#idx_1062
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Let me just add....it is still appalling to me that after all the trauma and fear about a cancer diagnosis, that women would have to have their ports removed while AWAKE. I think its barbarian...I have very strong feelings about it. I'm so glad that all I had to do was show up for surgery to get my port put in and the same with getting it out.
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I had my port out with local. I was somewhat apprehensive about it, but it was nothing.
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Ksusan I have no problem with whatever the patient wants for anesthesia. I do have a problem b/c of safety as to where it's done.
Also, dollbaby wants anesthesia, I gave her strategies to get what she wants.
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I was responding to the poster above me. For her, it's "appalling." For me it is not.
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oKey dokey
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It is still appalling to me and I don't think there is anything not ok about my opinion. Many women go thru PTSD with this experience. No reason to re-traumatized them again
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Nor is there anything not okay about mine. I didn't say there was anything not okay about yours. I commented about having a different perception.
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hello, I had my port removed after all my treatment. It was done in the hospital under local anesthesia and a little sedation. Couldn't wait to get it out as it was annoying although it served its purpose very well. After I had it removed the scar grew into a keloid which was very visible. I had cosmetic surgery to have it removed now it's nice and flat.
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it was much easier then gettin put in just some local meds then it was out.msphil. idc stage2 Lmast chemo and rads n 5yrs on Tamoxifen 0\3 nodes.
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I've not been in these groups in ages. 6 year TNBC survivor. I still have my power port. I am thinking about having it removed. My oncologist tells me I am doing fine with an excellent prognosis. My surgeon thinks I have to have a pre-op physical, current blood work, a possible cardiac exam and possibly done in the hospital under anesthesia (which always makes me sicker then a dog). Why? I don't have any heart issues, had a physical a few months ago and complete blood work up in August!! Why all this stuff just to have a port removed? It was put in September 15, 2010. Never had any problems with it. I want to keep it in a way but my Medicare Advantage PPO plan United Healthcare is now telling me flushing it will require prior authorization every time. It almost seems crazy to have to go through so much just to keep or remove a port.
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Easy as pie...I was under " twilight anaesthesia", could hear everything but draped so you can't see what's going on. I had mine out 6 years ago- barely visible now. I had mine placed pretty low so it wasn't visible with scoop necks, was glad I did that. I hated the feel of it when I showered, I wanted it out as soon as possible!
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Following this thread as I am to get mine out soon too.
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I went into my surgeon's office, lay down on a table, and he took it out. 10 min, more or less. He must have used local anesthesia? but I don't remember; he might not have. Seriously, it took so little for him to remove it, and I remember it felt weird when he pulled the line out that went to the vein. I do remember my husband (he's a combat vet) leaning over the table watching my doc remove it. And when it was done I asked my surgeon to give me my port. He put it in a sample bottle and I used it in an art project detailing the bc journey. It was a really nice color of purple.
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PS I just read some of hte previous threads. Barbaric to have a port out without anesthesia? For me, it was the ease of in-quick/out-quick, I trusted my surgeon, and I didn't have a hangover from general anesthesia. But if someone is creeped out by that, then get put out all the way. My port was a chest port, btw--just above my left breast. And the scar still itches at times...
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I can't imagine that anyone's had their port out without a local anesthetic. I have to argue not to get local for a dental filling!
If what you're saying is that it's barbaric to have a local but no twilight or general anesthesia, I respectfully disagree. My port removal was no more uncomfortable than a dermatological procedure, and considerably less painful than either set of breast biopsies.
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I'm guessing that those who have bad reactions to general anesthesia might prefer the local pain-killers instead...
I don't really recall being given a choice. Both the placement and removal were done in hospital surroundings, but with twilight anesthesia. I was pretty much awake and talking throughout both procedures, but didn't feel a thing. The bad thing was that I probably was a bit distracting to the medical team...! During the placement control of the veins apparently got away from him because at one point blood spurted everywhere and soaked my hair! I was a bit quieter during the removal... although I remember the guy talking about ski trips, which was interesting.
Otherwise, it was all good. No pain either time. No pain in recovery. The port was tender-ish while in, but not painful. The main problem was my seat-belt would hit it, so I had to buy one of those wrap-around pads for the shoulder belt--which worked well. I also didn't like sleeping on that side while it was in. Only kept it in for a year (I had a year of Herceptin infusions).
I have a scar where it was placed, but it's flat and is around my bra-strap area, so doesn't show unless my bra strap would show, and is just an inch and a half long line.
My experience with ports was pretty solid, really, and I was glad I had one. --Some doctors don't tell you about them, so it's good to be aware of all the options! I had to switch MOs to a doctor who got me tests and procedures that I needed (second opinions can be a very great thing! --and the info on this forum! Definitely SO helpful.)
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I am having mine done in my BS office 4/19. I can not wait. She will just numb the area cut, pull and paste. I am not at all concerned. The needle to numb it will be the worst but I plan on using some leftover numbing creme on it before my appt. This is the beginning of getting all foreign objects removed from my body. I call it my bionic vein. TE's will be next after rads.
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SCGirl-I am also having my port removed on 4/19...I cannot wait! Ive always said my port and I have had a love hate relationship...I love it for what it did for me while I needed it but it has always been a thorn in my side. I had my expanders removed on 3/8 (exactly 1 year after being diagnosed) each month Im getting one step closer to being in maintenance mode. Good luck w rads if you need any advice please let me know, Ive been there and done that also. Sending cyber hugs your way!
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My last herceptin infusion is Sept 21st. I'm getting my port out sometime after that, nobody seems to be in a rush to schedule it, except me! When they put my port in they gave me Versed and I was out like a light. I'm hoping they give me that and it knocks me out again. I'm a big chicken with all things surgical. >_<
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