Best Site For A Port?

[valshingle]

My daughter is about to age out of her current CF hospital. She does not have a port at this time. They are predicting that she has about 2+ years before she will need a port. She is interested in getting her port in her upper arm when the time comes. Currently the only Surgeon we know who does it in the arm is at her current children's hospital. Here are my questions :
1) Where is the best place to have a port (for a 20 yr old girl who wants to wear strapless dresses)?
2) Is it worth getting a port before it's needed in order to get it where you want it?
3) She wants to participate in archery and mixed martial arts. Can she do that with an arm port?
4) Does anyone know who puts in arm ports in the US - in adult patients?

Thanks!!

 

[mysticrose]

I do not know of it being in the arm. My DD (only 14) has hers under her arm basically where the base of the bra strap would be. She has more freedom to do stuff when she isn't accessed because it's in an area not as likely to get hit. Plus no where near as noticable even when accessed. People notice the mikey button sticking out before they ever notice the port. I also have an adversion to collar bones (they creep me out!) which is why when she was little and they first put it in we had it placed there. I'm not sure a clinic will place a port before it is needed because of the risk of infection. Never hurts to ask. GOOD LUCK!

Jen. mom to 4. 3/cf and one lucky red head.

 

[kayers3]

I had a port placed in my upper arm when I was in the 9th grade. I was going in the hospital about once maybe twice a year for tune-ups at that point, but I didn't want my arm getting continually scarred up from piccs, so I asked for a port. I also didn't want one in my chest at that time b/c I didn't want it to be noticeable. When it was in my arm only one person ever noticed and commented about it, and that was because she happened to grab my arm right where the port was placed and felt it. So when it is not accessed it isn't noticeable at all. When it was accessed I wore a lot of 3/4 sleeve shirts or wrapped it up when I went out in public. Most people thought I had pulled a muscle or something. When it is not accessed, she should be fine to do mixed martial arts and archery. I imagine she'd want to avoid trying to get kicked or hit directly on the port, but I did weightlifting, yoga, volleyball without any problems.

The placement by the bra strap in an interesting idea. My arm port was sometimes tricky to hit because it was small and moved a lot, but the one I have now in my chest does the same thing, so I guess it's me. My arm port lasted 9 years before it finally gave out. So my advice if your daughter does end up getting the port is to be diligent about getting it flushed every month. They can last a long time and it is ridiculously convenient when you have to go on IVs. Plus she won't end up with scars all over her from picc placements. The scars on my arm from my piccs are actually worse than the one from my port.

 

[annawalls]

I had a port on my sternum and that was perfect as far as strapless dresses. The only problem was the surgeon placed it just an inch too low and my bra would rub the skin raw, so I had to get it moved. It's slightly less convenient to access, but it does stay covered by virtually anything. Just make sure it's placed high enough though!