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deedee
Implanted Port

 One of our oncology patients who has been on Navelbine weekly came into our Out patient Infusin Center for her treatment

When I accessed the port it was difficult for the needle to penetrate through the actual port and as the needle passed through the port it felt like it was passing through "sand" it did fluch easily and a brisl blood return was noted.

The skin around the port septum felt thickend

The patient did tell me that the week prior the port site was red and the doctor put her on po antibiotics and it had improved.

I sent the patient for a dye study and it came back negative for any malfunction

I still dont feel comfortable using the implanted port I feel it needs to be replaced due to the "sand-like" feeling when access

What can cause this? Any thoughts on this? 

lynncrni
How old is this port? Could

How old is this port? Could it be that it has been used so much that the septum is damaged? Has it ever been accessed with a regular needle? The redness could have been some of the drug leaking from the septum. Did the dye study look only at the catheter tip or did it also provide an image of the port body?  

 

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI

www.hadawayassociates.com

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

mary ann ferrannini
 Could be related to a
 Could be related to a local infection at the site or as lynn suggested  a drug leakage pathway has developed. I have seen a few of these when the port has been used extensively and for many years. In these cases,the port needs to be replaced.
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