How to prepare for Subcutaneous Port implanted for chemo treatments

Sub Q Port aka Subcutaneous Port

Should you have breast cancer or some other condition requiring chemo treatments, a Subcutaneous Port can be your friend. Another name for a Subcutaneous Port is Sub Q Port. One woman who is in her third round of chemo treatments refused to have a Sub Q Port implanted the first time around. Some of her veins collapsed and she suffered needless pain. She went through the Sub Q Port operation for rounds two and three of chemo.

What is a Subcutaneous Port?

The Sub Q port is implanted underneath the collar bone above the healthy breast. It is about the size of a quarter. The narrow tubing, called a catheter, is implanted into the Subcutaneous vein near the lung. Using a Huber Needle, chemo will be inserted directly into the Sub Q Port. The chemo will run through the Sub Q Port, through the catheter tube, and into the veins. This saves your arm from being stuck over and over again with a needle.

Click BREAST CANCER to read the entire article on eHOW.com.