Port-A-Cath Prep

What is a port?

A port is a tube used to give your body important medicine and to remove small amounts of blood if you need a blood test. 

It looks like a button with a soft, squishy center. Some kids need a single port or some kids need a double port. Your doctor will tell you and your family which kind you need. It sits under the skin on your chest.

Inside your body, your port will be connected to a vein near your heart. Veins are the part of your body where your blood is. Veins carry the medicine throughout your body.

Getting a port

You will go to a procedure or surgery room to have your port placed under your skin.

You will get medicine, so you are sleeping and comfortable while you get your port. You may hear a lot of people call this medicine “sleepy air” or “sleepy medicine”. You will not feel anything while you are asleep.

You will get this medicine:

• by taking deep breaths through a green mask
  • You can pick what your mask smells like
    • Some choices are bubble gum, strawberry and root beer

OR

• through your IV if you already have one

When you wake up, your port will be under your skin and the tube will be connected to your port. The tube will have a clear sticker over it.

You will also have a band aid on your neck.

Using your port

A nurse will connect a small tube to your port using a small needle poke. This is called “accessing” your port.

Your port may be accessed in the clinic, in the emergency department, or when you are staying in the hospital.

First, your family or nurse will put white lotion called numbing cream and a clear sticker over your port. The cream numbs the skin covering the port so you do not feel the poke as much. The cream needs to sit on your skin for 30 minutes to make your skin numb.

After 30 minutes, the nurse will take off the clear sticker and wipe off the numbing cream with a soft cloth called gauze.

Next, everyone in the room will put on a mask. This helps keep germs away from your port.

Then, the nurse will put on clean gloves to keep germs away from your port.

The nurse will clean the skin on and around your port with a small sponge with soap in it. This may feel cold and wet. Some kids say it looks like a wand. The nurse will clean for at least 30 seconds and then let the soap dry.

Next, the nurse will wipe the skin on and around your port with a wet sponge. This helps protect your skin.

Then, the nurse will feel your port with their fingers. This may feel like they are pressing on your skin. If you have a new port, it might feel sore like a bruise.

Next, your nurse will put a small needle into the circle, squishy part of your port. Your skin should feel numb from the numbing cream, so you don’t feel the poke as much. If you have a double port, the nurse will do this step a second time.

The nurse will make sure your port is working by:

• taking out a small amount of blood with a syringe connected to the tube
• Putting a syringe of water into the tube.

Then the nurse will put a clear sticker over your port to keep it clean and safe. They will put on a few more stickers to help hold your tubes safely.

During the port access:

• Your most important job is to hold your body still.
  • You can sit up on your own or sit with your family.
• You can play a game, take deep breaths, watch a video on an iPad or listen to music.
  • Some kids say it helps them feel more comfortable when they are thinking about something else, like a movie or music.

De-accessing your port

When you don’t need to use your port for a while, the nurse will take the needle and tube out. This is called “de-accessing” your port.

• First, they will take off the sticker covering your port.
• Then, they will slide out the needle with the tube connected.
• Last, they will put a band aid over your port.