Protocol for Deaccessing Venous Ports

Millions of implanted catheters and ports are placed every year to provide ready access for administering fluids and medications, as well as drawing blood samples. If you have one of these devices, you should learn the protocols for its use and maintenance so that you can monitor the process as performed by a medical professional -- or how to do it yourself.

Deaccessing means removing the needle and IV tubing from your port and skin so that nothing is visible outside your body. To deaccess your site, you will need some supplies, such as syringes and two solutions for flushing the port, normal saline and heparin (100 units per milliliter). You can make bandage from a 2x2 gauze pad and one-inch tape, or just use a big Band-Aid.

Wash and dry your hands and put on gloves. In one syringe, draw up 10 cubic centimeters of normal saline and in another 5 cubic centimeters of the heparin solution. Inject the normal saline slowly to flush the port. Follow this with the heparin, and as you inject the last of the heparin, close the clamp on the tubing to stop any backflow of blood. Stabilize the port by placing your thumb and forefinger of one hand on the skin on either side of it while you pull the needle out with the other. Clean the needle site with an alcohol wipe, let it dry and put a bandage over it in case it bleeds a little.

Implanted catheters can become obstructed, move out of their intended position or get separated from the skin port. If your port is not functioning properly, consult a medical professional immediately.