I was wondering if you have to use specific power port needles to access these power ports or can you use a regular huber needle? 0 Likes
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma. Has 41 years experience. Jun 30, 2011 google it......http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_(medical) 0 Likes
Daliadreamer Specializes in Oncology, LTC. Jun 30, 2011 You can use a regular huber needle to access the port, but if the patient is to have any kind of CT scan, DO NOT USE IT. A power port needle is specifially made to withstand the pressure used to inject the CT dye. If the dye were to be injected into a huber needle, that needle would break inside the port. So 'yes', you can access a powerport with a huber needle, but 'no' if there is a chance that the patient will have a CT scan. 0 Likes
miss81, BSN, RN Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN. Has 8 years experience. Jun 30, 2011 You can use a regular huber needle to access the port, but if the patient is to have any kind of CT scan, DO NOT USE IT. A power port needle is specifially made to withstand the pressure used to inject the CT dye. If the dye were to be injected into a huber needle, that needle would break inside the port. So 'yes', you can access a powerport with a huber needle, but 'no' if there is a chance that the patient will have a CT scan.We actually had a pt go for a CT with a "normal" non-coring port-a-cath needle and it "blew" out for the port. In my area the power port is purple, the plastic part of the needle is purple and the pt wears a purple bracelet or purple key chain. Kind of a fail safe to ensure that we don't send a pt without a power port needle for a CT. That being said we have used "normal" non-coring needles for fluids as long as we are sure they will not need a CT. 0 Likes
iluvivt, BSN, RN Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion. Has 32 years experience. Jul 1, 2011 You sure can access access a power port with a regular non-coring huber needle but YOU Can not use it for a power injection then. So..to power inject through a venous acess port it MUST be a Power port and must be accessed with a special non-coring needle that can withstand the pressure. If you are talking about BARDs product the needle we use is called a power loc. The nurse must also verify that it is a power port and use and document 2 identifiers out of 4 possible. To be safe what I do is just access all power ports with a power loc needle and all regular ports with a regular non-coring needle. The tech and/or RN in radiology should also check for a brisk blood return and can verify the port placement from the scout scan. The problem is usually with the tubing on regular non-coring needles ..that is what can rupture and of course the actual catheter component of the port can rupture if it is not rated for power injection 0 Likes