Infusaport--unusual placement

Published Aug 22, 2014

1 Article; 260 Posts

Specializes in Oncology (OCN).

I had surgery today to place a port. I have RSD/CRPS and receive ketamine infusions every four weeks for four days in a row. I have really poor veins and getting IV access on me has always been a challenge. (Today it took the nurses two attempts and the anesthesiologist four attempts to get an IV, which they finally placed in my foot.) Anyway, the surgeon had a lot of difficulty placing the port. He was able to place the septum in my left chest just below the subclavian area. However, when he tunneled the catheter instead of using the same incision like they usually do, he had to make an incision in my neck. Does this mean the catheter is in the jugular vein instead of the subclavian vein or superior vena cava like it usually is? I was an oncology RN for years prior to going on disability so I am very familiar with ports but have never seen one done this way. I didn't get to talk to the surgeon afterwards but he did tell my husband that I would have to be extremely careful and that I would be very sore for a few days because of the difficulty he had. Boy, he wasn't kidding. The incision in my chest is fine but the one in my neck is really sore as are the muscles in my neck.