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Getting Started
If someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer, chances are you've found yourself in a new role: caregiver. As your loved one's caregiver, it's important for you to learn as much as you can about the different types of vascular access devices available for the delivery of chemotherapy and other I.V. medications.
Let's face it, getting chemotherapy isn't easy – no one likes getting stuck by a needle. The poking, prodding, and potential failed attempts to find a peripheral vein in the arms or hands for your blood tests and I.V.s can be painful for your loved one. Also, repeated use of Peripheral I.V.'s may cause damage to the veins in the arm and hand.
By visiting this web site, you have taken the first step in learning more about the various types of vascular access devices – particularly implanted ports – and their advantages and disadvantages over other ways of receiving I.V. chemotherapy.3

9 out of 10 patients surveyed in one study stated that a Port improved their quality of life due to decreased pain, need for fewer needle sticks, and quicker blood withdrawals.3
Lifestyle. Implanted ports, compared to other centrally placed vascular access devices, are more likely to permit one to go about their normal day-to-day activities, like showering, swimming, jogging, and playing with one's children. Ask the patient's doctor or nurse about specific activities and the appropriate time to resume them.
Comfort. Once placed, a port can remain for as long the patient's doctor determines he/she needs it. While the port itself will still need to be accessed with a special needle, there will be a decreased need for the sometimes painful poking and prodding to find a peripheral vein in the arms or hands with an I.V. every time the patient receives chemotherapy or has blood drawn.
Increased Privacy and Appearance. Implanted ports are small and can be hidden from view. With an implanted port, there is no exposed device and, because ports are typically placed in the chest, there's no potential for bruised arms. Other people will not know about the patient's treatment unless the patient wants them to.
Long-term Health. Since ports are typically placed in the chest, port usage can reduce the likelihood of damage to the peripheral veins in the patient's arm or hand. This may benefit a patient who needs blood work or I.V.s down the road.
According to a randomly selected, blinded U.S. national survey conducted by Bard Access Systems, Inc., 93% of responding oncology nurses surveyed ranked ports as their chemotherapy delivery method of choice.1
You can impact the way you fight cancer
![27% of patients still receive chemotherapy via peripheral I.V.[1]](img/uploads/featured/27-percent.jpg)
A randomly selected, blinded survey of U.S. oncology nurses conducted by Bard Access Systems, Inc. has shown that:
- an estimated 27% of patients receive chemotherapy via peripheral I.V.1
- 59% of patients who receive chemotherapy through a peripheral I.V. are unable to complete their therapy via peripheral I.V.1
- More then half of all patients who begin chemotherapy via peripheral I.V. eventually need a vascular access device in order to complete their therapy.
A port is not for everyone - especially patients with a history of forming blood clots, who have had previous vascular access surgery, or who are not emotionally prepared to have an implanted medical device. Like any vascular access procedure, there is always a risk of complications, including venous blood clots, skin erosion, infection, a collapsed lung, or clotting of the port catheter. Talk to your loved one's physician or nurse about these and other risks, and whether a port or other treatments are right for him/her.
For important safety information, please click here.
Expand AllIf a friend or loved one is facing treatment with chemotherapy, you may be looking for information about treatment methods and ways to make this phase of therapy a little easier for the person you care about.
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Choose a delivery method
Learn about the delivery method of choice for oncology nurses[1] and what you should know about vascular access devices
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Need more help?
Find answers to frequently asked questions about implanted ports.
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Hear from experience
Learn about ports from personal experience through patient stories.
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Look it up
Look up medical terms in the Dictionary.
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Where to go from here?
Find additional sources of information by visiting Links: Web Resources and Organizations.
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Important Safety Information
Important safety information is a click away.
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