JAMA ONCOLOGY PATIENT PAGE

Portacaths
Portacaths are devices used to deliver intravenous (IV) medications
into the bloodstream and to draw blood for laboratory testing.
What Is a Portacath?
A portacath, or “port,” is a type of venous access device that pro- Portacath
A portacath provides Catheter
vides continuous access to a large blood vessel (vein) in the body. Collar bone
continuous access to a large
The term comes from a combination of “portal” and “catheter.” The vein in the body, usually the
portal refers to a reservoir that is implanted under the skin, usually superior vena cava (SVC).
in the upper chest below the collarbone. The catheter is a soft flex- A port is implanted beneath SVC
ible tube that runs from the portal to a large vein in the body, usu- the skin. A catheter runs
from the port to the SVC.
ally the superior vena cava (SVC). The port sits completely under the
skin and feels like and appears as a bump under the skin. To access
the port, a narrow needle with is inserted into the port where the Port
bump is, either with or without numbing the skin beforehand. (reservoir)

Uses and Benefits of Portacaths

The port appears as
A portacath can be used to deliver chemotherapy, blood products, a bump beneath
antibiotics, and IV fluids directly into the bloodstream. Many che- the skin.
motherapy agents can only be delivered into a large vein in the body
such as the SVC because they could cause severe irritation if deliv- To access the port,
ered to the smaller veins of the arms or legs or lead to a chemical a narrow needle is
inserted through the Cross-section of
burn if they were to leak into surrounding tissues. Because a port implanted portacath
skin into the port.
remains in place and delivers medicines directly into the SVC, che-
motherapy agents can be safely administered through a port. Ports Skin
can also be used to draw blood for testing. Muscle
Accessing a large vein such as the SVC without a port is diffi- Needle
cult and time-consuming to do on a regular basis; therefore, ports
are very useful for cancer patients who require a long period of IV
treatment and blood testing. Port

Portacath Maintenance and Risks The port can be used to

Because the portacath is entirely internal, the risk of infection is low, deliver treatments, including
and no routine cleaning or dressing is required. Patients are able to chemotherapy, blood products,
and intravenous fluids. It can also
remain active without limitations, including swimming. Complica- be used to draw blood for testing.
tions are uncommon and include:
• Clot within the port or catheter: a portacath can develop a clot within
it or at its tip, which requires using blood thinners to dissolve the clot.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The chance of this type of clotting can be reduced by routinely flush-
ing the port with a small amount of saline and a small amount of a • Catheters and ports in cancer treatment
http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-
blood thinner every 4 weeks if it is not regularly used.
treated/chemotherapy/catheters-and-ports-cancer-treatment
• Infection: the tissue around the portacath can become infected,
requiring antibiotic treatment. Rarely, the portacath will need to
To find this and other JAMA Oncology Patient Pages, go to the
be removed if the infection is severe. Patient Page link on the JAMA Oncology website at
• Blood clot: As with any indwelling catheter in the bloodstream, http://www.jamaoncology.com.
there is a risk of developing a blood clot around the catheter, which
requires treatment with blood thinners.

Authors: Howard (Jack) West, MD; Jill O. Jin, MD, MPH
Published Online: December 23, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3488.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.
Section Editor: Howard (Jack) West, MD.
The JAMA Oncology Patient Page is a public service of JAMA Oncology. The
information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most
instances, but they are not a substitute for medical diagnosis. For specific information
concerning your personal medical condition, JAMA Oncology suggests that you
consult your physician. This page may be photocopied noncommercially by physicians
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call (312) 464-0776.

152 JAMA Oncology January 2016 Volume 2, Number 1 (Reprinted) jamaoncology.com

Copyright 2016 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

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