Port A Cath - Rotation and Catheter movement

mcmanus33

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone else out there has had major Port-a-Cath movement and rotation, and what was your story?

I ask because, I just had my 52nd Herceptin treatment and the nurses couldn't access my Port. They poked me 5 times and during one of those times it felt like there was champagne bubbles shooting up from my chest into my throat and I didn't "taste" the saline like I normally do. The nurses gave up and just put an IV in my hand, and requested that I go see a surgeon to have it looked at. Three weeks went by and the nurses tried again for my next treatment with the same results.

After that, the surgeon ended up sending me for some Xrays, and the report said..." There is a Port-A-Cath device on the right side. The catheter extends to the right subclavian region, but from there extends into the neck." Period - that's it. What the heck does that mean??? One of my onc. nurses said she thinks that my port must have rotated because she can't feel the bumps any more and that it must have pulled out of my heart. The bubbles were probably nurses pumping the saline into my neck - oops! Does that explain why I've had a scratchy voice for the past 6 weeks? Could the catheter be rubbing on my voice box? Could it cause serious damage? Puncture something? Humm....

I live in a small town and the surgeon went on holidays the day after he ordered the Xray. I didn't get to talk to him directly, but his secretary said that it wasn't emergent enough for him to do anything before he left. But now I have to wait over a month for him to come back - and I'm feeling kinda panicky. It would be very helpful to hear from other women with a port who may have experienced something similar with a positive outcome.

Thanks in advance,

Sara