Port, Picc Line or Cannular?

After trying out all 3, the port wins for me.

PICC Line

A PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line is used to give chemotherapy.

It's a long, thin, hollow, flexible tube, that a nurse or doctor will put it into one of the large veins of the arm, above the bend of the elbow. Then they will thread it along the vein until the tip is in a large vein just above the heart. After an injection of anaesthetic, the nurse will put a needle into the vein.They will gently thread the PICC line through the needle into a large vein that leads to the heart. They then remove the needle.

I never got on with it from day one. It was a constant reminder hanging out of my arm, screaming that stereotypical cancer patient that I loathed. I was always knocking it and having to get it redressed and having to make yet another trip to the hospital to have it flushed weekly. Not being able to get it wet, showering with a huge armband on with the restrictions of no sea swimming or baths!

PORT

An implantable port is also known as a portacath. A thin tube called a catheter is attached to a small reservoir called a port. It is usually put in under the skin whilst under sedation, the doctor or nurse will make two small incisions. One end of the tube goes into a large vein just above the heart. The other end connects to the port. The port is a small disc that goes under the skin. Chemotherapy drugs are given directly the port.

A clever little £2 coin looking lump under your skin. Although sore to begin with it soon healed and I hardly noticed it! Hidden under my big wooly jumpers, able to get this wet, meaning sea swims and baths were back on and the real plus, it only needed flushing monthly. One less hospital trip!

(A top tip for anyone having one of these fitted, always asking for numbing cream and pop it on half an hour before you start chemo to make it completely pain free)

CANNULA

The most common way of giving chemotherapy involves inserting a small needle and plastic tube called a cannula into a vein, either in the back of the hand or lower arm. The needle is removed and the cannula left in place. The cannula will be removed before you go home.

My final round of chemo was given through a cannula. After dreading this one the most not knowing how my veins would respond or how painful it would be, I was surprised for it to have gone it relatively pain free first time. Always worried of the idea of using this method for a long period of time with the risk of my veins collapsing I feel lucky to have been offered the port half way through.