趙啟明醫生醫務所         Dr Leo Chiu, Central Vascular Clinic

What is Portacatch?   The major users of implanted port are oncology patients. Most ports are placed below the collarbone on the chest wall by a vascular surgeon. The port provides a point of entrance into the central vein for infusion of medicine or withdrawal of blood. It is a self-sealing silicone bubble for repeat needle insertion. As silicon is a very inert material, rejection and allergy are not an issue.   Implantation After local anaesthesia the central vein is punctured and a small incision the “insertion site”is made around the puncture. A tunnel is prepared under the skin from the “insertion” site to another incision called the “exit” site. A long silicon tube “a catheter” is pulled from the exit site through the tunnel to the insertion site and threaded into the central vein. A port, of the size of a 5 dollar coin, is then connected to the catheter and buried beneath the skin. It appears as a bump under the skin. Patients hardly have any discomfort and can resume normal activity right after the implant. How to use? Feel for the bump and locate the portal, then apply anaesthetic cream to numb the skin. Straight aseptic technique is used. A non-coring needle (Huber Needle) is inserted through the skin, then the septum of the port and into the port reservoir. The injection fluid flows from the reservoir through the catheter and into the patient's vascular system. The tip of the catheter is placed to a large central vein for maximum dilution of the infusate. Advantage of the Portacatch over indwelling line such as Hickman® line Do not affect daily activities It is completely internal so swimming and bathing are not a problem. Accepatable in appearance Totally implanted underneath the skin and require no special maintenance ►  Back to top