Going Home with an Implanted Port: Your Complete Care Guide

An implanted port (often called a Port-a-Cath, Power Port, or simply a “port”) is one of the most convenient long-term vascular access options available. Because it sits entirely under your skin, it requires very little care between uses — and with no external tubing or dressing when not accessed, it allows a much more normal daily life than other central catheters.

This guide explains how your port works, what to expect when it is accessed for treatment, how to care for it at home, how to recognize problems, and when to seek help.

How Your Port Works

Your port consists of two parts:

The reservoir (port body): A small, dome-shaped chamber — about the size of a large coin — implanted under the skin of your chest, just below the collarbone. The top of the reservoir is a self-sealing silicone septum (membrane) that can be punctured hundreds of times by a special needle without wearing out.

The catheter: A thin, flexible tube connected to the reservoir that runs under your skin and into a large vein (usually the superior vena cava, just above the heart).

When a nurse or technician needs to access your port for an infusion or blood draw, they insert a special needle — called a Huber needle or non-coring needle — through your skin directly into the reservoir. Medications flow in (or blood flows out) through the needle, catheter, and into the vein.

When the access is complete, the needle is removed and your skin closes over the site. Nothing is left protruding from your skin.

What a port looks like from outside

When not accessed, you can see (and feel) a small bump under the skin of your chest — the port reservoir. In some patients with less body fat over the chest, it is quite visible. In others, it is subtle. There is no external tubing, no dressing, and nothing to manage day-to-day.

What Port Access Feels Like

The most common question patients have: “Does accessing the port hurt?”

Most patients describe it as a brief sting or pressure — similar to having blood drawn from your arm with a regular needle. Many patients find that, especially after the first few times, port access is significantly more comfortable than routine blood draws from arm veins.

Numbing cream (EMLA or LMX): A topical numbing cream applied to the skin over your port 45–60 minutes before your appointment can significantly reduce or eliminate the discomfort of the access needle. Ask your oncology or infusion team if this is available and how to use it. You apply the cream at home before arriving for your appointment.

What to tell your nurse: Tell your infusion nurse if you are anxious about the needle, or if you found previous access uncomfortable. They can take extra time, confirm the numbing cream has worked, and use techniques to minimize discomfort.

During access: Once the needle is in and taped down, most patients cannot feel it or feel only mild pressure or awareness. You should not feel significant pain once the needle is placed.

When the Port Is Accessed: What to Expect

At your infusion appointment

You or your nurse applies numbing cream 45–60 minutes before (if used).
Your nurse cleans the skin over the port with an antiseptic (chlorhexidine or alcohol/iodine).
The Huber needle is inserted through the skin into the port.
Blood return is confirmed — your nurse draws a small amount of blood back through the needle to verify the needle is correctly placed and the port is functioning.
The port is flushed with saline.
The needle is secured with a dressing.
Your infusion or blood draw is performed.
At the end of the session, the port is flushed with saline and then with heparin (a clot-preventing solution).
The needle is removed and a small bandage is applied.

For multi-day infusions

If you are receiving a multi-day infusion (for example, a 46-hour chemotherapy regimen), the Huber needle is left in place with a dressing for the duration of the infusion. The needle is removed at the end of the last day.

Between Port Uses: Day-to-Day Care

When your port is not accessed (no needle in place), daily maintenance is minimal.

Monthly flush

Your port must be flushed with heparin approximately once a month when it is not in active use. This prevents blood from clotting inside the catheter. Your hematology, oncology, or home infusion team will schedule this for you, or you can arrange it with your primary care provider or a home infusion nurse.

Do not skip monthly flushes even if you feel well and are not receiving active treatment — the port can clot if not flushed regularly, potentially requiring special treatment (TPA — a clot-dissolving medication) or replacement.

Skin care over the port

Keep the skin over the port clean and dry.
Apply no pressure, tight clothing, or uncomfortable straps (like seat belts, backpack straps, or bra straps) directly over the port if this causes significant discomfort. A small piece of soft padding placed between the strap and the port can help if this is a recurring issue.
You do not need a dressing or covering over the port when it is not accessed.
You do not need to restrict your activities specifically because of the port site (see activity section below).

After access: the first 24 hours

After a needle has been removed, a small adhesive bandage is usually placed over the access site. There may be:

Mild tenderness at the access site for a day or two
A small bruise
Slight redness that resolves within 24 hours

This is normal. If redness worsens, spreads, is accompanied by warmth, or does not resolve within a day or two, call your care team.

Bathing and Swimming with a Port

When not accessed

When the port has no needle in place, there are no restrictions on bathing or swimming. You can:

Take baths and showers freely
Swim, use hot tubs, go in the ocean or a lake
Participate in water sports

The port is completely under your skin — water cannot enter it.

When the port is accessed (needle in place)

While a Huber needle is in place with a dressing:

Do not submerge the access site in water (bath, pool, hot tub, ocean)
You may shower using a waterproof cover over the access site
Gently pat dry around the dressing if it gets splashed; check the dressing remains secure

Activity and Lifestyle with a Port

One of the greatest advantages of a port over a PICC or central line is the freedom it offers when not accessed. Between treatment sessions:

Generally unrestricted

Normal daily activities, work, errands
Walking, hiking, cycling
Swimming and water activities (when port is not accessed)
Lifting, carrying, and most physical activities
Travel — your port can go through airport security without a problem (notify TSA agents; you have a medical implant); security wands may be used instead of the scanner if preferred
Sexual activity

Activities to discuss with your care team

Contact sports or activities with risk of impact to the chest: A direct, hard impact over the port (being hit in the chest, a fall directly onto the port) could theoretically damage the port or cause bruising. Most patients tolerate normal physical activity; extreme contact sports are worth discussing.
Diving/scuba: Deep-sea diving creates significant pressure changes — discuss with your care team and the dive medicine team if relevant.
Port and heavy chest straps: If you wear a heavy backpack, body armor, or similar gear, ensure the strap is not pressing hard directly on the port for extended periods. A small pad can distribute pressure.

When the port is accessed

During an infusion session with the needle in, avoid:

Reaching vigorously overhead with the arm on the side of the port
Activities that could dislodge the needle and dressing
Contact with water over the access site

Warning Signs: When to Seek Help

Call your care team or home infusion nurse for:

Redness, swelling, or warmth at the port site that does not resolve after 24 hours
Discharge or any drainage from the access site after needle removal
Pain at the port site that is worsening rather than improving
The port feeling harder or the skin over it looking different than usual
Difficulty getting blood return during a scheduled access (your nurse’s concern, but if you notice the infusion feeling unusual or different, report it)
Any concerns about how the port looks or feels

Go to the Emergency Room for:

Fever (≥38°C / 100.4°F) with shaking chills — possible bloodstream infection. In a patient with a port and cancer, this is urgent. Do not wait.
Shortness of breath or chest pain — call 911 if severe
Swelling of the arm or neck on the side of the port — possible catheter-related clot
Signs of an allergic reaction during or after infusion (hives, throat swelling, difficulty breathing)
Port completely inverted under skin or significant change in how the port feels/sits

A note on fever: Patients with ports often have cancer or other immunocompromising conditions. Fever in this context can be a sign of serious infection. Your oncology team may have specific fever protocols — follow those instructions exactly and do not wait until morning if your protocol says to go to the ER.

Port Complications

Port occlusion (blocked port)

If the catheter inside the port clots, blood cannot be drawn and infusions cannot run. This may be treated with a medication called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a clot-dissolving drug injected directly into the port catheter. This procedure is performed by a nurse and is usually effective. It is not painful.

To prevent occlusion: always ensure the port is properly flushed after every use and with heparin monthly.

Port infection

Infection can occur at the skin exit site, in the port pocket (the space under the skin where the port sits), or in the bloodstream (the most serious type). Signs include redness, warmth, swelling, or discharge over the port site, or fever and chills.

Port infections may require IV antibiotics and, in some cases, removal of the port. Early recognition and treatment are critical.

Catheter pinch-off / fracture

In rare cases, the catheter running from the port can become compressed between the collarbone and the first rib — a problem called pinch-off syndrome. This causes intermittent difficulty infusing or drawing blood, particularly in certain arm positions. If your port works fine in one position but not another, or stops working entirely, alert your care team. X-ray evaluation is needed.

Port flipping

Rarely, the port reservoir can rotate under the skin (flip). The access membrane is then facing the wrong direction and the port cannot be accessed normally. This may require a minor procedure to reposition it. Tell your nurse if the port “feels different” or if the usual access area is uncomfortable in a new way.

Power Ports (CT-Compatible Ports)

Some ports are labeled “Power Injectable” or “Power Port.” These are designed to withstand the high-pressure injection used for CT (computed tomography) scans with IV contrast dye. If you need a CT with contrast, alert the radiology team that you have a power port — this may allow your port to be used for the contrast injection rather than a separate IV being placed.

How to know if your port is power injectable: Check your port identification card (you should have received one when the port was placed) or ask your care team. Power ports are often identifiable on X-ray (a CT visible marking within the port) and by touch (they often have a triangular raised surface on the reservoir).

Carry your port identification card with you at all times. This card contains information about the type of port you have — this is important for any medical care you receive away from your usual care team.

Port Removal

When your port is no longer needed — your treatment course is complete, or you no longer require long-term vascular access — it will be removed in a minor surgical procedure, usually by the surgeon or interventional radiologist who placed it.

Port removal is typically straightforward:

Performed under local anesthetic (numbing injection at the site)
Takes approximately 30–60 minutes
Recovery is minimal — most patients return to normal activities within a day or two

The incision site will heal with a small scar. Follow the wound care instructions provided by your surgeon after removal.

Your Port Identification Card

When your port was placed, you should have received a wallet card or ID card with:

The brand and model of the port
Whether it is power injectable
The placement date
The surgeon’s contact information

Keep this card with you at all times. Show it to any medical team member who needs to access your port, order a CT with contrast, or is unfamiliar with your port. If you did not receive this card, ask your surgeon or interventional radiology department for one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the port set off metal detectors at the airport? Most ports do not reliably set off standard walk-through metal detectors. However, security scanners vary. Carry your port ID card and inform TSA agents. You may request a pat-down instead of a scanner if preferred.

Can I have an MRI with a port? Most modern implanted ports are MRI-compatible (MR-safe or MR-conditional). Check your port ID card. Alert the MRI team before your scan. They will verify MRI compatibility.

Do I need to tell my dentist about my port? Yes. Your dentist should know you have an implanted port, particularly if you have had valve-related heart surgery or are immunocompromised. They may need to coordinate antibiotic prophylaxis or take precautions accordingly. Also tell any other medical or procedural provider.

What if I move or change oncologists? Keep your port ID card and the contact information for the practice that placed the port. Ensure your new care team has this information in your records.

Emergency Contact Information — Complete Before Discharge

Contact	Name / Number
Oncology nurse line
After-hours oncology/hematology
Home infusion nurse
Infusion pharmacy
Local ER

This guide is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for the specific instructions provided by your care team. Always follow the guidance of your oncologist, surgeon, home infusion nurse, and other members of your care team regarding your specific port.