Chemotherapy
Port Placement
Surgical implantation of a venous access port for patients receiving long-term chemotherapy or infusion therapy. Outpatient procedure, same-day discharge.
Cancer treatment is hard enough without enduring repeated, painful IV sticks every week. A chemotherapy port quietly transforms what was once a daily ordeal into a routine, comfortable part of treatment.
A chemotherapy port — also called a Port-a-Cath, mediport, or implanted venous access port — is a small, dome-shaped reservoir implanted just under the skin of the upper chest. A flexible silicone catheter runs from the port into a large central vein near the heart (typically the superior vena cava).
Once in place, the port allows reliable, repeatable access to your bloodstream for chemotherapy infusions, blood draws, IV fluids, and contrast administration — over many months or years if needed. It eliminates the need for repeated peripheral IV sticks, which become increasingly difficult as veins are damaged by chemotherapy.
Port placement is an outpatient procedure typically performed under light IV sedation and local anesthesia in the operating room or interventional suite. Ultrasound and fluoroscopy (live X-ray) are used to ensure precise placement.
Dr. Rios makes a small incision in the upper chest just below the collarbone, creates a pocket beneath the skin for the port reservoir, and tunnels the catheter subcutaneously to the access vein. The catheter is threaded into the central vein and confirmed with fluoroscopy, the port is sutured into place, and the skin is closed in layers with absorbable sutures.
The entire procedure typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. Most patients go home within 1–2 hours of completion.
A small reservoir implanted under the skin of the upper chest, connected by a flexible catheter to a large central vein. It allows reliable, less painful access for chemotherapy, blood draws, and IV fluids over months or years.
Typically 30 to 60 minutes. Most patients go home the same day, often within 1–2 hours of completion.
Yes — you will be able to feel a small dome-shaped bump under the skin. It is generally not visible through clothing and does not interfere with daily activity once healed.
A specialized non-coring needle is inserted through the skin into the port's silicone septum. The skin is numbed with a topical cream beforehand, so access is generally painless.
Once fully healed (typically 2 weeks after placement), you can shower, swim, and bathe normally. While the port is being actively accessed for treatment, the access site must be kept dry.
Once treatment is complete and your oncologist confirms it is no longer needed, the port is removed in a brief outpatient procedure — typically 20 to 30 minutes under local anesthesia.