Phlebotomy thru port?

[rusty55]

Has anyone out there ever had this experience? We have a pt needing regular therapeutic phlebotomies but no veins! Dr. suggests a port but

we've never heard or read anything...please advise

[phymsa]

Has anyone out there ever had this experience? We have a pt needing regular therapeutic phlebotomies but no veins! Dr. suggests a port but

we've never heard or read anything...please advise

I know this is an old posting, but we just did one today. Most of our patients have ispMRI Powerports from Bard, and I called the Bard customer service representative who was not aware of any published materials on phlebotomy per port but based on customer reports and recommendations re lab draws, etc, recommended:

1. Use syringes larger than 10 cc; preferably larger than 20 cc.

2. Set up a 3- way stopcock. Stop the phlebotomy and flush the port periodically during the procedure (I would assume this is particularly important for patients with erythrocytosis because of the viscosity and increased thrombosis risk)

My suggestions:

3. Probably shouldn't put in a dual-lumen port for this - the individual ports are usually smaller. (This is my comment.)

4. Use the same non-coring access needle you would usually use for the specific port; larger gauges preferred.

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

I know this is an old posting, but we just did one today. Most of our patients have ispMRI Powerports from Bard, and I called the Bard customer service representative who was not aware of any published materials on phlebotomy per port but based on customer reports and recommendations re lab draws, etc, recommended:

1. Use syringes larger than 10 cc; preferably larger than 20 cc.

2. Set up a 3- way stopcock. Stop the phlebotomy and flush the port periodically during the procedure (I would assume this is particularly important for patients with erythrocytosis because of the viscosity and increased thrombosis risk)

My suggestions:

3. Probably shouldn't put in a dual-lumen port for this - the individual ports are usually smaller. (This is my comment.)

4. Use the same non-coring access needle you would usually use for the specific port; larger gauges preferred.

The part about using a 20cc or larger syringe for withdraw, sends up red flags to me because the larger the syringe, the greater the pressure one creates, in this case, in the port.

I'd seriously reconsider this.

[Madam PICC]

Lynn Hadaway spoke about this in her blog