Port or Pic Line???

[marepeak]

My 65 year young husband was diagnosed with SAA mid-June 2014, received hATG mid-July 2014. Spent another 4 days in the hospital in August due to a blood infection. He takes cyclosporine and blood pressure medication twice daily and an antibiotic 3 times a week. He gets blood draws on Monday and Thursday and platelets or red transfusions Tuesday and Friday as needed. There has not been much change. Finding a vein to put a line in for the transfusions is getting harder and harder all the time. They only use his right arm, they cannot find anything on his left arm. Yesterday 3 nurses, 4 sticks, then they brought in a nurse from another department to use an ultrasound. He got a line in right away, but within 1/4 of the bag of platelets going in it was leaking under his skin and not into the vein. So ultrasound again, he went in much deeper and got a good line in. The nurse supervisor at the infusion center is going to talk to his hematologist about putting in a port. All along the doctor has been saying no to ports or pic lines due to the risk of infection. Has anyone had similar problems and are they any suggestions to make easier? Thank you.

[Chirley]

Personal opinion...Port. I've had mine 8 years... Not one infection. You can swim, shower, exercise etc.

[Alvin]

I am 82 years old, have had MDS for 3 years.
Had a port installed 24 months ago. This has made getting trans. so much easier. The best thing that has happened to me in a long time.
Alvin

[bailie]

What kind of port? I have a three lumen Neostar.

[curlygirl]

I vote for port. I wouldn't have picked port, honestly, if the hospital had presented an option. But my son loves to take baths, they're very relaxing to him when he isn't feeling well. So when he was sick it made it easier to take a bath. He gets his port out this month after a year and a half, but he went swimming all summer at summer camp with it, too.

[Marc R]

I had a picc line for 4 months it did make transfusions and blood work much easier, but the dressing changes every week are annoying. Also, bathing during that time was difficult, because you have to wrap your arm to keep it dry. 5 months ago I had my port put it and it made life much easier. I was able to swim and exercise without troublesome dressings. I vote port as well.

[bailie]

Marc, what kind of a port? I have been given strict instructions not to get mine wet/damp. I have to cover mine (three lumen NeoStar) every time I take a shower. I will have mine about 100 days before they remove it. Mine is in my right chest.

[Chirley]

Bailie, ports are generally implanted completely under the skin and don't need any covering unless they are in use. It's usually only external lines like Hickmans, Vascaths and PICCS that need covers.