port : single vs. double lumen?

arthuryang42 · Jul 29, 2007

My wife is about to get a port, and was looking for advice on whether she should get a single or double lumen (are both available in a low-profile form factor?). We were thinking that a double lumen may give extra opportunity for access should one clot off, but then again, double lumen means that they are smaller individual tubes, so perhaps that then increases the possibility that they clot off !

I've scanned through the other threat 'picc vs. port' and it's been quite useful, but I never saw much mention about the pros and cons about single vs. double lumen.

Thanks!
Arthur
husband of wife, 30, w/CF

arthuryang42 · Jul 29, 2007

My wife is about to get a port, and was looking for advice on whether she should get a single or double lumen (are both available in a low-profile form factor?). We were thinking that a double lumen may give extra opportunity for access should one clot off, but then again, double lumen means that they are smaller individual tubes, so perhaps that then increases the possibility that they clot off !

I've scanned through the other threat 'picc vs. port' and it's been quite useful, but I never saw much mention about the pros and cons about single vs. double lumen.

Thanks!
Arthur
husband of wife, 30, w/CF

arthuryang42 · Jul 29, 2007

My wife is about to get a port, and was looking for advice on whether she should get a single or double lumen (are both available in a low-profile form factor?). We were thinking that a double lumen may give extra opportunity for access should one clot off, but then again, double lumen means that they are smaller individual tubes, so perhaps that then increases the possibility that they clot off !

I've scanned through the other threat 'picc vs. port' and it's been quite useful, but I never saw much mention about the pros and cons about single vs. double lumen.

Thanks!
Arthur
husband of wife, 30, w/CF

arthuryang42 · Jul 29, 2007

My wife is about to get a port, and was looking for advice on whether she should get a single or double lumen (are both available in a low-profile form factor?). We were thinking that a double lumen may give extra opportunity for access should one clot off, but then again, double lumen means that they are smaller individual tubes, so perhaps that then increases the possibility that they clot off !

I've scanned through the other threat 'picc vs. port' and it's been quite useful, but I never saw much mention about the pros and cons about single vs. double lumen.

Thanks!
Arthur
husband of wife, 30, w/CF

arthuryang42 · Jul 29, 2007

My wife is about to get a port, and was looking for advice on whether she should get a single or double lumen (are both available in a low-profile form factor?). We were thinking that a double lumen may give extra opportunity for access should one clot off, but then again, double lumen means that they are smaller individual tubes, so perhaps that then increases the possibility that they clot off !

I've scanned through the other threat 'picc vs. port' and it's been quite useful, but I never saw much mention about the pros and cons about single vs. double lumen.

Thanks!
Arthur
husband of wife, 30, w/CF

arthuryang42 · Jul 31, 2007

I thought I'd put up what I've learned here, in case it helps anyone else in the future. Naturally this is based on others' opinions and experiences, so the sample size is small.

Double lumen is not usually needed for CF. It's designed for some cancer treatments when two meds are being delivered simultaneously, and they cannot be mixed.

I had raised an idea about 'if one lumen clogs up, we still have the other' -- well this isn't really true, as once it's clotted up, the docs will want to remove so infection doesn't set in.

Double lumens are a little larger.

Ports need to be flushed once a month when not used to keep it open, naturally two lumens means two sticks. (Someone told me that over repeated use, scar tissue builds up and it doesn't hurt much later on).

There are way more port types than I had thought.

Check bardaccess.com for the many different kinds of ports available. I'm sure there are other manufacturers of ports out there as well.

One last piece of advice which I thought incredibly obvious (which I did not think of) was to actually call the manufacturer and hear what suggestions they have.

Arthur

arthuryang42 · Jul 31, 2007

I thought I'd put up what I've learned here, in case it helps anyone else in the future. Naturally this is based on others' opinions and experiences, so the sample size is small.

Double lumen is not usually needed for CF. It's designed for some cancer treatments when two meds are being delivered simultaneously, and they cannot be mixed.

I had raised an idea about 'if one lumen clogs up, we still have the other' -- well this isn't really true, as once it's clotted up, the docs will want to remove so infection doesn't set in.

Double lumens are a little larger.

Ports need to be flushed once a month when not used to keep it open, naturally two lumens means two sticks. (Someone told me that over repeated use, scar tissue builds up and it doesn't hurt much later on).

There are way more port types than I had thought.

Check bardaccess.com for the many different kinds of ports available. I'm sure there are other manufacturers of ports out there as well.

One last piece of advice which I thought incredibly obvious (which I did not think of) was to actually call the manufacturer and hear what suggestions they have.

Arthur

arthuryang42 · Jul 31, 2007

I thought I'd put up what I've learned here, in case it helps anyone else in the future. Naturally this is based on others' opinions and experiences, so the sample size is small.

Double lumen is not usually needed for CF. It's designed for some cancer treatments when two meds are being delivered simultaneously, and they cannot be mixed.

I had raised an idea about 'if one lumen clogs up, we still have the other' -- well this isn't really true, as once it's clotted up, the docs will want to remove so infection doesn't set in.

Double lumens are a little larger.

Ports need to be flushed once a month when not used to keep it open, naturally two lumens means two sticks. (Someone told me that over repeated use, scar tissue builds up and it doesn't hurt much later on).

There are way more port types than I had thought.

Check bardaccess.com for the many different kinds of ports available. I'm sure there are other manufacturers of ports out there as well.

One last piece of advice which I thought incredibly obvious (which I did not think of) was to actually call the manufacturer and hear what suggestions they have.

Arthur

arthuryang42 · Jul 31, 2007

I thought I'd put up what I've learned here, in case it helps anyone else in the future. Naturally this is based on others' opinions and experiences, so the sample size is small.

Double lumen is not usually needed for CF. It's designed for some cancer treatments when two meds are being delivered simultaneously, and they cannot be mixed.

I had raised an idea about 'if one lumen clogs up, we still have the other' -- well this isn't really true, as once it's clotted up, the docs will want to remove so infection doesn't set in.

Double lumens are a little larger.

Ports need to be flushed once a month when not used to keep it open, naturally two lumens means two sticks. (Someone told me that over repeated use, scar tissue builds up and it doesn't hurt much later on).

There are way more port types than I had thought.

Check bardaccess.com for the many different kinds of ports available. I'm sure there are other manufacturers of ports out there as well.

One last piece of advice which I thought incredibly obvious (which I did not think of) was to actually call the manufacturer and hear what suggestions they have.

Arthur

arthuryang42 · Jul 31, 2007

I thought I'd put up what I've learned here, in case it helps anyone else in the future. Naturally this is based on others' opinions and experiences, so the sample size is small.

Double lumen is not usually needed for CF. It's designed for some cancer treatments when two meds are being delivered simultaneously, and they cannot be mixed.

I had raised an idea about 'if one lumen clogs up, we still have the other' -- well this isn't really true, as once it's clotted up, the docs will want to remove so infection doesn't set in.

Double lumens are a little larger.

Ports need to be flushed once a month when not used to keep it open, naturally two lumens means two sticks. (Someone told me that over repeated use, scar tissue builds up and it doesn't hurt much later on).

There are way more port types than I had thought.

Check bardaccess.com for the many different kinds of ports available. I'm sure there are other manufacturers of ports out there as well.

One last piece of advice which I thought incredibly obvious (which I did not think of) was to actually call the manufacturer and hear what suggestions they have.

Arthur

AnD · Aug 1, 2007