Implantable ports are devices inserted underneath the skin, and are used to allow easy access into the bloodstream for patients who require frequent injections of medication (usually chemotherapy).
An implantable port, sometimes called a “PowerPort” or “Infus-a-Port” (depending on the manufacturer’s brand), is composed of two parts:
- The port itself (which sits underneath the skin on the front of the chest)
- The catheter (this is a thin tube that is connected to the port. It travels underneath the skin and into a vein at the base of the neck. The tip of the catheter sits in a large vein next to the heart)
Diagram of an implantable port in the chest
Your port will be inserted by a specialist Interventional Radiologist in an operating theatre.
Close-up view of Bard Powerport
Accessing the port for treatment