The Colon Club

My husband finished 6mo of treatment in March. I was just wondering what how long any of you waited before you had your port removed. Was surgery just a short and painless as the first?

I finished chemo the first week of Sepetmber 06, and had the port removed in March 07. I waited until I had two clear PET Scans. The removal surgery is totally painless, was back to my old self the next day.

I asked my doctor to call my surgeon and schedule my port surgury. He said he would after my last blood draw and chemo session...which is in 2 weeks.

I am glad to hear that it is painless etc.


lisa ann

I had my port removed about a month after chemo-with my onc's approval. The procedure was much simpler than I expected. It was done in the surgeon's office, by the nurse practioner. They numb you, I think they basically make an incision and take it out. I was surprised how small the port was. In my mind it was huge! I think I had to keep it dry for a day or two, but there was no pain. They did say to take Tylenol if necessary.

If a nurse practioner removes the port do they stitch the area too? I thought that they had to cut old scar tissue out, before restitching.

I did not have any stitches, just a few steri-strips.

When I switched to oral chemo, I begged to have my port removed. Onc didn't want to right away, but I said yes.

Now I was a WUSS when it came to putting it in so was a little nervous about taking it out. Had it done in the hospital radiology dept. A piece of cake! The little shot of novacaine was the worst part.

Wide awake the whole time telling the doc about our kitchen remodel!

I had a very nice local anesthesia, don't remember a thing about it either going in or coming out.

I waited through a set of scans post chemo. For some reason it seems like such a way to throw away that part of life. My surgeon gave me the choice of hospital OR removal (4 hours out of the day for preop, waiting,OR, recovery room, etc.) or his office in 15 minutes. I opted for his office. He numbed me up and then took it out in about 10 minutes. We talked the whole time about the whole colectomy surgery, chemotherapy and then before I knew it I was in my car paying the parking deck attendant.

I definately think you have to be in the right frame of mind, it is not painful but there is alot of tugging, and pressure, etc. I am sorry if that is too much detail, I am a nurse and I guess I knew what to expect, so the tugging and pressure were what I expected. But for all you warriors who have fought and took chemo for all this time, Port Removal is such a celebration.
Good luck.

Suzie Hill, RN
Stage 3 CC, 37yo Dx. Oct. 2005
NED

I had my port put in July 7, 2007 ( I remember the exact date cuse it's my brothers birthday and boy was he mad at having to pick me up after surgey) finished chemo in Jan 07 and could not wait to have the port out besides feeling creepy , ever time I got dressed and showered or someone touched me it remined my of my cancer plus twice I got hit in the port and the pain was horrible. Once I finished chemo I started asking to remove the port after I got a clean cat scan/colonoscopy/blood work
in May the dr said it was ok. I got it removed on 6/7/7 in the hospital.
The surgen said you will be given local then mild sedation.
Well when I ws fully awake they started preping the area ( ok no problem here) then they put a cloth over my face and raised the head of the opperating table. The surgen came in and said remove that so she can see and do the next one herself (ha ha ha he thinks he's very funnny but he's not and you don't want to argue with someone who shortyly will be cutting you open). The surgen said this will only hurt a little when I numb the area it did but next I felt his cutting their was this pressure on my chest then he yelled at his assistant but pressure on this or their will be something (i think blood clot) then every thing went black.
Sorry if this is too much info.
My next memory is them asking me to move to the stretcher to go to revovery. After it hurts for a few days but your so happy it's out it doen't matter . I felt removing the port brought the whole cancer experience full circle and gave me closure ( now if I could just get rid of the nerve pain I might be able to forget the whole thing).
I know some people leave the port in just in case it's a personal decision but I am so happy it's out

I had mine removed 2 mos after finishing chemo. It was getting very tender and really hurt if anything bumped it.