A portacath or implantable port is a thin, soft plastic tube that is put into a vein and has an opening (port) just under the skin on your chest or arm. It means that drugs can be given into the vein, and blood can be taken from it.
The portacath is placed in your vein either under a general anaesthetic, which means you are unconscious, or a local anaesthetic, when you are awake but a bit drowsy and don’t feel anything.
The tube is long, thin and hollow and the port is a disc about 2.5-4cm in diameter. The tube is inserted (tunnelled) under the skin of your chest. The tip lies in a vein just above your heart and the other end connects with the port under your skin in your upper chest area. You’ll be able to feel the port like a little bump under your skin but nothing shows on the outside of your body.
