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Does anyone have a portacath?

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cherieann:

--- Quote from: AstonDialo on July 19, 2008, 02:54:31 PM ---The Med student was actually serious about accessing my port with the 19G needle & 20ml syringe.
Are you on Warfarin?
My port is about a year old now...

--- End quote ---
So was the nurse.
No I'm not on Wafarin. I was on that only once when they found a clot in between my lungs and heart. That was six years ago.
I use 10ml heparanised saline and then 10 ml heparin under pressure to lock the port so I don't have problems with the patiency. The protocol has changed now where you don't have to flush with heparinised saline but I prefer it so I continue with it :biggrin

AstonDialo:
Yeah I get hep saline everytime I use my port.
Some nurses have different techniques in de-needling the port.
Some, they inject the hep saline soltuion into port, than take needle out, while others inject the solution, and towards the last couple of ml's they pull the needle out to have a positive pressure Hep lock.
I prefer this method, but because of the higher risk of needlestick injuries, nurses tend to use the first method, cos in the 2nd method I mentioned, you really need 3 hands to remove needle from port.
Injecting the hep saline, holding the port down and pulling needle out.

I am on warfarin, I have found that in the past, a couple of my ports have clotted.
They say if you don't use your port on a regular bases, it is recomemended that you get it flushed with hep saline solution, every 3 months.

AstonDialo:

--- Quote from: Andy on July 19, 2008, 03:59:33 AM --- AD, hopefully you won't land on this port when you wipe out on your bike. Ouch! That had to hurt.

--- End quote ---

Oh yeah I forgot about that..he he he 

cherieann:
Wow AD
Your techniques are so different than here.
Here in NZ, the port must be locked under positive pressure.
You are right about more hands needed so there are two ways of doing it.
1st way is the nurse holds down the port and pulls needle out while patient or another nurse pushes lock in.
2nd way is if you have to do it yourself, you push lock through while at the same time turning the 3 way tap to off. This causes the positive pressure and then you can just pull out the needle without any problems. The second way took me awhile to master but it is so much easier and I don't have to wait for my husband to come home and do it. :biggrin

Do you administer your port yourself?
I'm glad that my specialist let me learn as it gives me control and I feel more of a participator than an object.

AstonDialo:
Na,
I try avoid using it as much as I can.
The more times it gets needled, the more risk of an infection.

I only use the port  If I have more than 1 pack, and also if the nurses are busy, and or If I couldn't be bothered waiting to get my port needled, I just get them to try my veins.

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