It is a portable and disposable home-based infusion device for chemotherapeutic drugs, which does not need to be plugged in. After the chemotherapeutic drugs are filled by the pharmacist, the infusion device is used to infuse the drugs into the human body with continuous elastic pressure.

Notes for portable chemotherapy infusion devices

• Six to 8 hours after the infusion device is inserted, observe whether the balloon in the infusion device has shrunk or not.
• The time of drug infusion may vary depending on the temperature of the environment, the temperature of the human body, the height at which the infusion device is placed, and the patency of the Port-A.
• Put the infusion device next to the pillow while sleeping. Do not put it on the bedside table to avoid jerking the infusion line to let it fall on the ground and break when turning over.
• Do not insert the infusion device near heat sources, such as near a stove, using an electric heater, soaking in a hot spring, staying in the hot sun for an extended period of time, to avoid affecting infusion speed.
• Avoid strenuous exercise or extensive arm rotation, and pulling the infusion line that causes the needle to slip out and chemotherapeutic drugs to seep into the skin, such as running, aerobic dancing, swimming and so on.

Precautions for a Port-A when returning home

• During the period of drug injection, the clamp of the infusion device should be kept "open" at any time, and the infusion line should be fixed with the clamp to avoid dragging and puling, needle slipping and drug leakage.
• Observe the wound daily for redness, swelling, heat, pain, and purulent discharge.
• In the infusion of medicine, the Port-A puncture site should avoid contact with water; patients should not take a shower but take a sponge bath instead, to avoid the dressing falling off and causing infection.

The time of removal of portable chemotherapy infusion devices in hospital

• When the balloon in the infusion device is in a straight line, it means the chemotherapeutic drugs run out.
• Return to hospital immediately if IV medication does not run dry more than 5 hours after the expected time.
• If infusion runs out in the middle of the night, then return to hospital to remove the device after dawn.

Return to the hospital immediately when any of the following situations occurs

• When the portable infusion device is damaged: Close the clamp on the Port-A immediately, wrap the device with a plastic bag and take it back to the hospital for treatment.
• When drug leakage occurs: Close the clamp on the Port-A immediately, rinse the skin splashed by the drug with plenty of water for 15 minutes, and immediately return to hospital for treatment.
• If the skin around the injection site feels red, swollen or painful, please close the Port-A clamp and return to hospital immediately for treatment.
• If the dressing is found to be falling off, use paper tape to strengthen and fix the dressing around and immediately return to hospital for treatment.
• When the Port-A needle slips off: Close the clamp immediately, and draw back the needle to hear the sound of "click," so as to avoid needle sticking, then wrap the needle and portable infusion device in plastic bag and return to hospital for treatment.

Contact information

• Business hours of the outpatient chemotherapy room
• Monday-Friday 8a.m.-10p.m.
• Saturday 8a.m.- 4p.m.
• Please go to the nursing station on the 5th floor of the Critical Care Center Building during non-working hours.
• For any questions, you can call for advice: (04) 2205-2121 ext. 15550 (daytime); ext. 15590 (nighttime).