This will depend on the following:

• Lifestyle
• Duration of treatment
• Type of treatment
• Suitability of veins.

• MRSA swabs
• Blood tests (if chemo has already started or if you are a Haematology patient)
• Anticoagulation will need to be stopped – Dr Leech will advise. 

If you are having a port or tunnelled CVC:

• Fasting (if you are having a morning procedure, nothing to eat/no hot drinks after midnight, if you are having an afternoon procedure, you may have a light breakfast/hot drink before 9.00 am. However, all patients may drink water until the time of their procedure).
• Diabetics – Dr Leech will advise.
• Fasting is not required if you are having a PICC (local anaesthetic only).

• PICCs – no, you will only have a local anaesthetic
• Ports/Tunnelled CVCs – no, but you will be given sedation and local anaesthetic and will need someone to drive you home.

• PICC Insertion – approximately 20 minutes
• Port/Tunnelled CVC Insertion – approximately 45 minutes
• Port/Tunnelled CVC Removal – approximately 30 minutes.

• Bruising is common around the site and may take a few weeks to disappear completely.
• Pain or discomfort should be controlled with either Paracetamol/Ibuprofen or your usual pain relief. If the neck vein is used for a Port/Tunnelled CVC insertion, you may experience some neck pain for a few days as though you have slept awkwardly.
• If sedation has been used, you may feel a little washed out or tired for a day or so.

• All the devices can be used immediately after insertion. However if a Port is going to be used within 24 hours I will leave a 'Huber' needle in place to make it easier for the chemotherapy nurses to use it.

• PICCs need to be kept dry at all times and they need to have dressing changes and be flushed every week (usually by the chemotherapy nurse). Strenuous activity such as golf needs to be avoided.
• Tunnelled CVCs need to be kept dry for at least the first month until the tissue under the skin has grown into the cuff and anchored it in place. They require flushing every week and strenuous activity should be avoided.
• Ports do not need to be kept dry (as they are already under the skin). They need to be flushed every month by your chemotherapy nurse but apart from that they do not require any other maintenance. Strenuous activity only needs to be avoided for the first month so that the wound can heal fully.