My port is out!

[Paula O]

Wooohooo for you, Helen! Congrats for completeing your tratment plan!

My port will be out soon too in my doctor's office. Did you watch the procedure? How long did it take? Was there much bleeding?

I wonder why some doctors take them out under general anesthetic when it can be done under a local in the doctor's office. Maybe some people would be grossed out and rather be asleep. Do you guys figure it's equally safe either way?

Paula

[hestko76]

My port was taken out in an OR. There were 4 techs and 2 doctors in the room. I couldn't have anything to eat or drink after midnight. I questioned that.....since I was only to have a local?? IF the removal proved to be tricky..... catheter sticking.... breaking..... tissue around port was severely bleeding..... then they could immediately start a regular surgery.
My body was draped with a surgical cloth, so I saw nothing. It was a good thing I was not claustraphobic! Since U of Arizona is a teaching hospital, I heard the head surgeon "teaching" the resident how to do the procedure. I told them I watched a port removal on You Tube, and it seemed to go much quicker! There was more internal stitches put in than I thought there would be....
Good luck with your port removal!

[Jackie07]

Congratulations! Helen.

My port was removed at my oncologist's office in the hospital clinic. An intern (Resident?) did it under supervision. I believe only the area around the port was 'numbed' before the procedure because I saw the whole thing... (and asked to keep the port for souvenir...