Port Removal

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AussieAssCancer
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 10:16 am

Port Removal

Postby AussieAssCancer » Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:59 pm

This time in 6 hours I’ll no longer be part bionic man. Hopefully they’ll (a) Sedate me (who doesn’t like a good propofol nap); and (b) let me take my Port home.

Have been so looking forward to this day, although obviously it’s not without some anxiety (what if it comes back and I have to have it out back in) but it’s for the best.

I’ve told my wife I’m looking at novelty tattoo ideas for the area where the Port was so if you have any ideas, fire away :D

Cheers to all

AAC
Dx Oct '15 w/ Stage 3c RC/ CEA 8
Nov '15 - Jan '16: 3x FOLFOX and 5wks Chemoradiation w/ Xeloda
March '16: ULAR w/ temp ileostomy
Complete pathological response incl 0/12 nodes
May - Aug '16: 9x FOLFOX (dropped Oxaliplatin for final Rd due to neuropathy)
Clear CT scans in April ‘16 (NED), Dec ‘16, Aug ‘17, Feb ‘18, March ‘19, Feb ‘20
Feb '17: Ileostomy reversed
CEA Post Surgery: ALWAYS 2

Blog: kickingrectalcancerintheassblog
https://kickingrectalcancerintheassblog.wordpress.com/

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Port Removal

Postby Lee » Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:08 pm

AussieAssCancer wrote:I’ve told my wife I’m looking at novelty tattoo ideas for the area where the Port was so if you have any ideas, fire away :D
AAC


Good luck, with the removal. Mine was in for 2 years, and did not want to leave. Surgeon really had to pick at it to get it out.

Some people add a blue ribbon tattoo.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

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Maggie Nell
Posts: 1151
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 1:57 am
Location: Central Highlands, Victoria, Oz

Re: Port Removal

Postby Maggie Nell » Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:16 pm

Sidney Nolan's bucket head Ned Kelly
DX April 2015, @ 54
35mm poorly diff. tumour, incidental finding following emergency R. hemicolectomy
for ileo-colic intussusception.
Lymph nodes: 0/22
T3 N0 MX
Stage II CRC, no adjuvant chemo required.

Soccermom2boys
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:29 pm

Re: Port Removal

Postby Soccermom2boys » Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:44 pm

I think this will in all likelihood be the easiest part of all you have been through in the past two years! :lol:

I can only speak for my experience, but I was not in any way sedated for the removal—just a heavy shot of something to numb that area. I had mine in for a full year after treatments finished, but was diligent about going for port flushes every six weeks. It took my surgeon about a half hour in total to complete the process—it was encased in there pretty good he said. Can’t go swimming for a week or two in case you have a holiday planned, but otherwise an easy recovery.

I was so excited to lose it because I hated seeing it and feeling like some alien was living under my skin, but I too am always worried that I may need another one. Oh well, cross that bridge if/when needed, right?! Congrats—one less tie to cancer! :D
8/3/15 Went in with a hemorrhoid, came out with a tumor
8/12/15 Biopsy from colonoscopy confirms RC (45 yrs old--zero family history!)
9/21 - 10/29/15 chemorad 28 tx (with Xeloda)
12/17/15 APR with perm colostomy
Pathology report stages me as IIIA (T2N1M0)--1/15 LN detects cancer
2/3/16 chemo port inserted
2/8-6/2/16 8 rounds of Folfox

weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Port Removal

Postby weisssoccermom » Sun Jan 07, 2018 4:29 pm

Just two small pieces of info.

1. You usually are not sedated for the procedure. It's really easy coming out so I've only heard of people getting a local (novocaine) for port removal. Mine was done that way. Some tugging and it was a little creepy to hear the surgeon ask for a scalpel...I mean my port was on my left side....heart side. Didn't like that part. Best part of the local....you get up off the table...and go home. No need to have anyone drive you, etc. Worst part for me was the nasty stinging when they injected the local

2. Very unlikely that they will let you take it home. There are rules/regulations about diseases, tissue disposal, blah blah blah with stuff like that. Mine was infected and I got to see it....there was some 'tissue' around it. They would have considered that a 'hazardous' something or another and it would have had to have been disposed of according to all those pesky rules. In addition, if you really want to keep it, you had better look carefully at what you sign when you are admitted. Most often, you sign away your rights to the removed items when you sign all those papers. Just read each and every line very carefully.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Port Removal

Postby NHMike » Sun Jan 07, 2018 5:02 pm

Congratulations on getting it out as it likely means you don't need infusions any longer.

I had mine put in with painkillers only and it didn't take very long. I'd assume that it comes out faster than it went in.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Port Removal

Postby Rikimaroo » Sun Jan 07, 2018 5:39 pm

I am looking forward to this day as well, but I just started :(....Slowly but surely. Glad yours is coming out and stay NED forever my friend!!!
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

Tdubz
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 11:01 am

Re: Port Removal

Postby Tdubz » Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:36 pm

no better feeling then getting the port removed. Kinda makes you feel normal again without the big bump on your chest. My surgeon knocked me out for the procedure. Took like 15 min or so.

Basil
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: Port Removal

Postby Basil » Sun Jan 07, 2018 10:09 pm

Congrats. I finished active treatment in late 2017 (NED) but my onc wants to keep the port for a year. All my appointments, cancellations and reappointments were monitored through an MDANDERSON phone app. I’m used to seeing a string of them waiting before me but the only one I have now is “Port removal - 10/18/18”. (Note, my surveillance appointments with my onc will be jumping in there from time to time).
40 y/o male (now 46), kids 11 & 14.
Dx 3/16/17, rectal cancer s3,t3,n1,m0
PROSPCT trial (FOLFOX in lieu of chemorad)
FOLFOX 4/5/17 - 6/26/17
LAR 7/31/17, temp ileo
pathological complete response
Adjuvant chemo cancelled (IDEA Study)
Ileo reversed 9/25/17
NED
1 year scans - clear
2 year scans - clear
3 year scans - clear
4 year scans - clear
5 year scans - clear (considered cured)

AussieAssCancer
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 10:16 am

Re: Port Removal

Postby AussieAssCancer » Mon Jan 08, 2018 4:00 am

Thanks guys. Back on the couch watching ‘Suits’, sans port :wink:

Took FOREVER to get into theatre and then my little friend had made himself well and truly at home and was a pesky little bugger to get out. Lots of scar tissue holding him in.

No sedation of any kind, and needed two lots of local anesthetic. The second was required because the forceps slipped and went a little deeper than the anesthetic which brought about more than a yelp, I can tell you :shock:

Anyways, it’s out, and they let me keep it as a souvenir. Funny how something so little can do such big things.

Cheers again guys

AAC
Dx Oct '15 w/ Stage 3c RC/ CEA 8
Nov '15 - Jan '16: 3x FOLFOX and 5wks Chemoradiation w/ Xeloda
March '16: ULAR w/ temp ileostomy
Complete pathological response incl 0/12 nodes
May - Aug '16: 9x FOLFOX (dropped Oxaliplatin for final Rd due to neuropathy)
Clear CT scans in April ‘16 (NED), Dec ‘16, Aug ‘17, Feb ‘18, March ‘19, Feb ‘20
Feb '17: Ileostomy reversed
CEA Post Surgery: ALWAYS 2

Blog: kickingrectalcancerintheassblog
https://kickingrectalcancerintheassblog.wordpress.com/

rockhound
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:00 pm

Re: Port Removal

Postby rockhound » Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:39 am

AussieAssCancer wrote:Thanks guys. Back on the couch watching ‘Suits’, sans port :wink:

Took FOREVER to get into theatre and then my little friend had made himself well and truly at home and was a pesky little bugger to get out. Lots of scar tissue holding him in.

No sedation of any kind, and needed two lots of local anesthetic. The second was required because the forceps slipped and went a little deeper than the anesthetic which brought about more than a yelp, I can tell you :shock:

Anyways, it’s out, and they let me keep it as a souvenir. Funny how something so little can do such big things.

Cheers again guys

AAC


Congrats- I wish I would have asked to keep it (forgot). I got mine removed during my ileostomy reversal surgery, which was nice.
45 yr old male
Diagnosed December 2016, age 41
Stage 1/IIA rectal cancer - T2/3N0M0 via MRI (MRI indicates stage 1; onc/surgeon = stage 2a)
Lynch syndrome, MSH6 mutation, MSI
2 to 3/2017 Xeloda + Radiation
5/10/17 - Robotic LAR with temp. loop illeostomy, 0/20 lymph nodes
6 to 7/2017 - Six cycles Folfox @ full strength
9/20/17 - Ileostomy takedown
10/17 - CT, NED
5/18 - CT, NED
11/18 - CT, NED
5/19 - CT, NED..moving to yearly CT scans
5/20 - CT, NED
5/21 - CT, NED (4 yr. scan)

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horizon
Posts: 1669
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:10 pm

Re: Port Removal

Postby horizon » Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:40 am

AussieAssCancer wrote:No sedation of any kind, and needed two lots of local anesthetic. The second was required because the forceps slipped and went a little deeper than the anesthetic which brought about more than a yelp, I can tell you :shock:


My hat's off to you members that can do things like that. I'm a giant baby and told them there would be problems if they didn't knock me out for the removal! :oops:
I'm just a dude who still can't believe he had a resection and went through chemo (currently 13 years NED). Is this real life?

weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Port Removal

Postby weisssoccermom » Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:43 am

The removal was, IMO, a piece of cake. The shot itself hurt more than anything else. A little tugging/pulling but it was over so quickly and the ability to just get off the table and be able to DRIVE home without any help (hubby was still there) was a huge motivator for me. The doctor removing it had a nice conversation with me about our kitchen remodel.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

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juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Port Removal

Postby juliej » Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:08 pm

AussieAssCancer wrote:Anyways, it’s out, and they let me keep it as a souvenir. Funny how something so little can do such big things.

Congrats, AAC, on your "deportation"! :D :D :D

I'm due to have mine removed soon so I don't really like hearing all the convo about tugging, pulling, etc. :shock: But I am looking forward to being able to wear low-cut tops again without a bump showing!

You're right - it's amazing something so tiny can do so much. It saved my veins from oxaliplatin and for that alone I'm grateful. But it also makes every CT scan or blood draw easier. I'll kind of miss that.
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

thubler
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:22 am

Re: Port Removal

Postby thubler » Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:05 pm

Congrats! Enjoy the moment. I had mine removed in November after having it 1 1/2 years. I lost a lot of weight since being diagnosed so it really poked out and was uncomfortable. The procedure was a piece of cake for me. I received the propofol so I was out of it and was sore for a couple of days. I was also thinking of getting a tattoo. I’m a big Pitt fan and a kid named James Conner was diagnosed with cancer while he was playing, beat it and was drafted by the Steelers. The kid was amazing. He would put crazy beast mode work outs in while receiving chemo. It was unbelievable. When interviewed he always said “fear is a choice” and he chose not to fear cancer. I just kept using that as a motivator and still do daily. Anyways long story longer, I wanted to get “fear is a choice” above my port scar.
III b CC @ 35 yoa.
two primary tumors on ascending/transverse stage 1 and stage 3.
Lynch Positive
Resection 05/16
2/41 nodes +
FOLFOX 6/16-11/20/16
Clear Endoscopy and Colonoscopy 12/6/16, 02/13/18,01/24/19,02/27/20,02/18/21,05/24/22
CT 02/07/17 enlarged mesenteric node.
Clear PET 02/15/17
Stable CT 06/05/17,10/16/17,04/02/18, 01/08/19, 01/14/20, 01/05/21,03/07/22
Deported 11/03/17


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