PORT PLACEMENT - Detailed description of process
Comments
-
K8Keekat----I was to have four chemos, I asked for a port. My Doc refused"said it wad only four chemos". My right arm can be used , not the left. The first chemo took 5 sticks by 3 chemo certified nurses. The final stick was below two of the higher stick attempts. As a result chemo leaked into the tissues surrounding the higher sticks. The tissue looked a deep black for most of the next year then returned to normal. Very pretty-----UGH. This chemo did not kill the tissues , but some can. I knew I would have difficulty with being stuck as my veins are small. That is why I wanted a port. Hopefully, I will never have to have the experience again
My husband had a similar experience , he had a port. In the hospital , his port pulled out during chemo. Nurse for some reason put it back in his arm instead of chest. It infiltrated and caused blackness of the tissue . He also had severe pain for months, but the tissue did not fully die and slough off.--------------------Two people, no nurse in common making the problems, two potentially serious complications b/c the infiltrated sites , the tissue could have died or become infected.
Ports are good. But it does come down to individual choice at times. As long as the person has all the facts pro&con to make a decision.
Sorry you had a bad experience. Your doc was having a "stupid" day when she made that remark.
Hope all things get better without problems
0 -
BUMP
0 -
I'm going to ask the nurse who told me about it to cite her source. She was my only reference, so in all honesty, I don't know if it's research based or not. I just opted to not use it since I haven't had any pain with the port without it.
0 -
That was absolutely AWESOME! I am going in for port placement on Thursday and was looking for a detailed description and was hoping/praying that the person writing this was as strong as I am. Well, not quite as strong as you....I won't pass up the meds...but I sure as heck will be out of there ASAP!
Thanks again!
0 -
Bump
0 -
My port placement was worse than my surgery, I havea very experienced suregon and it took him 9 tries to get it in...Was in extreme pain when i got out...felt like some one had punched me in the shoulder.
Stupid Question...I have two bandaged areas, which one is the poort ?
0 -
tappy ----a port a a circular feel the newer ports feel like they have wings , should be right and left/east west as a grip for the nurse to hold onto while holding on to the port.. 9 tries is unusual. Have a talk with the surgeon as to why. The confirmation that the port is in the right place is by a chest xray(usually done in operating room or recovery room) before the first use. Make sure that it is confirmed before first use. If you develop any shortness of breath or unusual symptoms report immediately. If no response , call 911. This is not to scare you, but is meant to encourage you not to diminish any symptoms. They explained pre-op that the placement of a port could cause a collapse of the lung>>>>shortness of breath is the worst symptom.
Ask your doc which side the port is on, You should have been given a card to carry in your wallet that identifies port type, serial/model number. You need to carry this with you as you would your drivers license. The booklet given you at discharge has all the particulars. The reason you likely don't remember this is b/c they gave you medication during the procedure that has an amnesia effect(means you will forget things while the drug was in effect).
0 -
I'm scheduled to have one put in tomorrow. You gave an incredibly detailed account that is very helpful. Thanks so much.
0 -
I've had my port since last July 2010. I had 11 weekly Taxol and 4 AC--and just as many and more sticks for blood tests. I think that is what people forget about is that they draw for blood out of your port too. That's alot of sticks!! I used to give blood routinely and nurses used to love my veins(big ugly green things!!) but know they say my veins have collapsed and they have to draw from the middle of my arm or my hand. Can't imagine if I didn't have a port. Now that doesn't mean I LIKE it. I hate the ugly foreign thing in my chest and want desperately to get it out. My MO wants me to keep it "just in case" --whatever that means!!!
BTW I had a script for lidocaine that was wonderful in numbing my port area before chemo. Cold spray doesn't work quite as well for me. But if I was feeling particularly wimpy I would use both!! It never hurt.
That said, If I was only having 4 tx I probably not gone the route of the port, it is an aggravation to have it put in ---but all things considered its not the worst thing we go thru during TX.
0 -
Cymblastic--------Please keep your port as long as you can allow--------remember I said as long as you can allow.Not having the ability to draw from both arms is a negative. Not knowing what the future allows. Please, don't take it out prematurely
0 -
I was one of the 1% who had their lung punctured during port placement. Walked around with a slowly collapsing lung for 2 weeks. Am still in hospital. Getting a chest tube is painful.
Caryn0 -
Sorry, exbrngrl-----tha't a potenial complicatoin of a port placement. You didn't say if they attempted the other side. OR your waiting till you recover from this. Cancer sucks.Protect your self by watching all hand washing and hand gloving. Hand gloving should only come towards you. Not touching everything in the room and then you. If you see that occur ask them to change their gloves----------some will get real affronted. Ask them who are the gloves supposed to protect.
If it's you, and any other object was touched that had't already had a cover on it. AIN"T YOU BABY.
0 -
The lung puncture was not discovered until 2 weeks after port placement and even then, it was discovered by accident. The port itself, appears to be fine but the collapsed lung is still not completely inflated so chemo continues to be delayed. I was in the hospital for 6 days and still have a chest tube. The chances of this happening are very small but it has been a nightmare.
Caryn0 -
exbrnxgrl----------Odd that lung collapse wasn't found for two weeks. Automatic standard protocol is a chest xray done immediately post port placement.. I do remember a case though that I thought I caught a absence of breath sounds in the recovery room post chest xray. I was completely denigrated by the doc in front of the other nurses , but he said if you must get a chest xray---------there was a partial collapse, didn't need a chest tube. It did though qualify my nursing assessment.
Several other cases over the years(many) that my hearing loss has picked up pneumothorax(lung collapse). When listening with a stethoscope, what can happen is you hear referred noise from the other lung. With my hearing loss, in the cases where I didn't have that ability to here referred noise, I could pick up the absence of noise i.e real breath sounds---or absence. It ironically, allowed my hearing loss to be an advantage.
So, sorry you have had to go through a chest tube this long. They are as painful and uncomfortable as it gets. It has to do with the fact the nerve artery and vein run on the underside of the rib, the chest tube is put between the ribs. Every time you breath or move it hurts.
Please, I pray that all goes better sheila
0 -
Automatic standard protocol of a chest x ray following placement was followed. Everything looked fine but the nick was so minuscule that it was kind of like a very slow leak on a tire. The symptoms I presented with pointed to local irritation from the breathing tube during the surgery (I had to have my nipple removed too so they did the port at the same time). Not a single doctor or nurse could believe the way this whole situation played out. It was truly an anomaly in every way.
Caryn0 -
Thanks for the detailed description. I am schedule for port surgery tomorrow.
Denise
0 -
Caryn--this is now 4 days later ---hope that tube is out by now. Hope that you have no further wierdness of occurrences. Good luck with chemo.
One question you can ask-----Have all drugs been run through the drug interaction checker. Wasn't done for me. I had to find my own drug interactions. Then found that the same program was available to my docs, but wasn't used.
Norvasc an antihypertensive interacts with cytoxan and all aromatase inhibitors. The drug interaction checker I found was Genelex . It is very sofisticated, but with this high level you do get better information. It has a 30 day free trial and is cheap for a subscription, for return on value. Please view the "how to use video" It then has even more value LOL. First time through, I didn't. WAYYYYYYY easier to use when you read the directions LOL.
Knebel have a good experience Namaste to all Sheila
0 -
I received a Lifeport 12/1/11. They did put me totally under. Because I had a mastectomy on the left, they put the port on the right side, though I understand they prefer the left side. I was fine, but after returning home, I felt pressure breathing. (Like jogging on a super cold day.) My doctor told me to go back to my nearest hospital for a chest Xray. I was diagnosed with a pneumo thorax. My lung was nicked, so air leaked forming a bubble between my chest and lung. It wasn't too painful, but not possible to breathe in a full, deep breath. I had another xray the next morning and another the following Monday (because I was due to start chemo Tuesday morning). It healed enough on its own to let me continue. Was scary and added to the drama. But now, I feel okay. Sometimes when I bend down I still feel my breath isn't exactly right, but I feel okay. The upside is no real problems with the port. It is tender, but very little scarring. Does anyone know if it hurts when they take it back out??
0 -
I am so sorry. I also had a nick. (Just posted about it before I saw your post.) My doctor was on it and caught it. Luckily it appears to be healing on its own, so they didn't need to go back in. He said fixing it is worse than the nick/air bubble itself. I did have the standard chest xray, while still in bed. I don't even remember it. But it was all clear and they released me. My symptoms appears about two hours later. I felt like a big baby, but decided to call my doctor anyway and am glad I did. He even called me at home that night after hours to be sure I didn't worsen. I felt markedly better about a week afterward.
0 -
Zgirl,
You are very lucky. I had some symptoms, but nothing that was the usual presentation for a pneumothorax! Two weeks after port placement I had an unrelated PET scan that picked it up. My onc called and said get to the ER ASAP, they will be expecting you. Not a single doctor could believe that I had functioned so well, including gym work outs, with such a collapsed lung. I ended up spending 6 days in hospital with 3 separate chest tube insertions and then being discharged with a portable chest tube for almost a month. I really was quite an anomaly. Thankfully, my port is functioning well after this mess. Glad to hear that you are feeling better! Caryn0 -
I never heard about the possibility of damage to the lung while having the port installed. Caryn and Zgirl66 so sorry you had to suffer this unfortunate accident on top of everything else you are dealing with. Also I didn't realize that a chest xray was routine to check port placement. I didn't have one and didn't notice anyone mention on this thread at the time I had my port put in.
0 -
MaryNY,
The chance of a punctured lung, when placed by an experienced doctor, is about 1%. Clearly, Zgirl66 and I are in the minority. I was, however, aware of this possibility as it was mentioned as a risk on the consent forms I signed. I was also told that everyone who has a port placed at my medical facility always has an x ray and I think this is quite common.
Caryn0 -
Hi all,
Just wanted to give a positive report for my port placement. Mine is in my arm, no sedation to put in, and no complications about 1.5 years in. Had chemo thru veins for treatments in 2004/05. Got a port in my arm after as they thought I would get Herceptin, but turned out not to be. Had port removed after about 6 months. So this time around, got the port just next to where it was the first time (original tx every 3 weeks, this time every week for 3 weeks/1 week off for 8 rounds), and now monthly Aredia.. So far it's been fantastic. I'm not much of a sleeveless top person (in northern Canada right now, that's a good thing, lol). Sorry to those with problems, glad they were resolved. Hugs to all, Patti
0 -
To all, The entry of a port into the chest, a Potential complication is a collapse of the lung, It is identified on all consents. That is why a chest xray is done immediately post insertion. If you have had full general / or twilight anesthesia you may not remember the xray being done. BUT it was "Standard Operating Protocol". Standard discharge instructions-------any shortness of breath, difficulty breathing call 911, or go to your local ER.
THAT's why it's so important to have someone with you who listens to the post-op instructions and stays with you afterwards at home. The drugs given for the procedure have an amnesiac affect which means you have no memory of the occurrence. You may talk well, act well, walk well-------just no memory. A really good surgeon will teach you this beforehand and get you to sign a form that says you have been instructed in this.
Only a big national publicized lawsuit will correct this problem of no preoperative teaching.
I have a hearing loss. The only advantage it has given me in my whole life is, I have by listening with a stethoscope been able to pick up pnuemothraces. Reason- with a person with normal hearing, they will hear referred breathing noises from the opposite side. I can't. So, when I said I hear no breathing sounds. It always proved true. One post op port insertion ---post chest xray , just prior to discharge and I did my thing . I fought with the doc b/c the xray said no collapse. . Well this was < 2 hrs later. I couldn't hear what I normally would expect. Vindicated by xray--- a 10 % collapse. Everyone was amazed. ------------Like I said it is the only time my hearing loss ever served me well
Other times--------If I told my DH something sounded strange with the car-----he learned to act fast. Never was included in the really good gossip b/c I had to ask them to speak up.
0 -
Bump
0 -
Caryn and Zgirl66 - add me to the nicked lung group. I had my port placement on Wed, 1/4, and was told that the post-op xray looked good so sent home. I had problems the next day with pain on deep breathing. I told both the hospital nurse who called to check on me and my BS but they said it was probably just muscle pain from the port, so I waited all weekend. ON Sunday, I was taking a walk with my dogs and felt very constricted with breathing and then got pain in my lower lung which radiated to my back. So, Monday morning, I called my BS office and told them. They didn't call me back until 4 PM!! I went right to the hospital for the xray and was driving home (crying the whole time) when my BS called me and told me to turn the car around and head back to the hospital to be admitted. I had a pneumothorax. It wasn't getting better so I had a chest tube put in on Tuesday under locals/light sedation and it was the most painful thing ever! I thought I was going to die. After a lot of morphine, the pain got better. I was released on Wednesday with the tube still in. I finally got it taken (yanked) out (another BIG ouch) yesterday. The xray today shows that my lung is staying inflated so now my BS says I'm cleared to start chemo.
I am glad this post was around for me to know that this was a possible side effect of the port placement and what to watch for as my BS only mentioned it once in passing.
0 -
Tina,
So sorry this happened to you but I'm glad you had symptoms and you got the x-ray. I had no pain, just a bit of a dry cough and a bit of pressure in the chest when I bent forward(which I thought was from the port). The snap, crackle, pop that I heard when I breathed in had diminished by the time the pneumo was found. I had three chest tube insertions, 6 days in hospital and portable chest tube for several weeks after I was released. My lung was very stubborn but when the tube was pulled, it didn't hurt. I do hope that people reading this understand how uncommon this is. Yes, several women here have posted about it but compared to the total number of port placements, we are very rare birds. Hope you're feeling better.
Caryn0 -
Back in 1994 I had a pneumothorax due to a congenital defect. Spent a month in the hospital and ended up having major lung surgery to fix it. Over the course of two weeks they kept putting a chest tube in and yanking it out every time they thought it would stay inflated. They ended up taking chest muscle and slapped it on my lung with crazy glue and so far so good. Those 4 weeks were a NIGHTMARE and I have the scars to prove it!
0 -
Yes, I am doing okay now but it was a horrible experience. I believe the port will be worth it in the end anyway since I have only a few small veins that the nurses said wouldn't last through chemo. I have to stop thinking about the tube as I still am having nightmares. I am glad it doesn't happen very often to people getting ports.
0 -
VR, ugh, sounds awful. My first chest tube literally fell out when I leaned over the side of the bed. I couldn't believe it and was in tears because I knew this meant they'd have to put another one in.
Tina, happy to say my port works perfectly now and I'm glad I have it.
Caryn0
