How long can port-a-cath go without flushing

[fakemusician]

I work for home health. I have a patient who has a VAD (port-a-cath, lifeport) which was due to be flushed the end of last month. She was in the hospital and it didn't get flushed. I am telling her it's long over due (this would be 7th week) but the family feels like it can go just a little bit longer. I've always been told to flush it every 4 weeks but they said they were told different. How long can these devices go without being flushed? Thanks

[raianne]

Hi! I'm not a nurse yet but I had a port, and they told me it needed to be flushed every four weeks when I wasn't using it. I think that's the standard.

QUESTION: How often should an implanted port be accessed and flushed?

ANSWER: The port should be accessed and flushed every four weeks when not in use. If the patient is receiving continuous infusate, then the non-coring needles should be changed every seven days and as necessary. Patients at high risk of infection may benefit from more frequent dressing changes. Please refer to the Instructions for Use (IFU) for further details.

[nersieh]

it wouldnt hurt to flush it...last thing you need is a clogged PORT

[tewdles, RN]

Standard of care is flush Q 4wks.

Deviation from that should include MD order for frequency, to cya.

[iluvnoodles]

flushing a line cant hurt. its just clearing the line from being clogged. you dont want to have to send the patient to hospital to get it changed. educating the family is always good. I mean they didnt go to nursing school. i wouldnt go by them, your the nurse.

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

fakemusician said:

i work for home health. i have a patient who has a VAD (port-a-cath, lifeport) which was due to be flushed the end of last month. she was in the hospital and it didnt' get flushed. i am telling her it's long over due (this would be 7th week) but the family feels like it can go just a little bit longer. i've always been told to flush it every 4 weeks but they said they were told different. how long can these devices go without being flushed? thanks

Standard of practice by Infusion Nurses Society (INS) is flushing every month to maintain patency of the device. What is your agencies policy? It is always important to follow P&P, and hopefully that P&P reflects INS standards.

Can a port be flushed at longer intervals.. Yes, but you must understand the ramifications of this action. You see, after the placement of all IV catheters, fibrin will build up on the catheter's end (may be both internal and external developments) This fibrin build-up is a precurser to bacteria colonizing on the fibrin as well as leading to thrombus formation. Also, biofilm is another concern as flushing a line can lead to its disruption and subsequent "seeding" of the bacteria contained within. So.. if elongated periods pass without flushing a line, one can cause dangerous microbs to enter the blood system in a septic shock fashion.

I always refuse to flush any port which has not been properly maintained after two months have passed.

Does this help?

[onc nurse]

4 weeks is standard.

[dln1x0n]

one month is standard

[nursetmj]

I work in an outpatient Onc clinic; we set our appointments for every 6-8 weeks for routine port flushes. Of course you always have people who forget or just don't want to take the time to come in for it. I think I flushed one a few weeks ago that hadn't been flushed in a year! Not smart. I did get a blood return though :)

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

nursetmj said:

I work in an outpatient Onc clinic; we set our appointments for every 6-8 weeks for routine port flushes. Of course you always have people who forget or just don't want to take the time to come in for it. I think I flushed one a few weeks ago that hadn't been flushed in a year! Not smart. I did get a blood return though ?

"Hadn't been flushed in over a year..." WOW. I surely wouldn't have flushed it. Talk about Septic rush!

[imapsychrn]

I'm a student and I have a question - what would you do you if you had a patient like the above that went a year or more without getting the port flushed?

I know someone said they wouldn't flush it - so what would you do?

Thanks!

[OCNRN63, RN]

I'd access it and attempt to flush it. We also had someone who hadn't had hers flushed for over a year and it worked like a charm...great blood return.

Our patients usually get theirs flushed every 4-6 weeks.