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Chemo delivery methods

Methods of Chemotherapy Delivery

Implanted venous catheter (I.V.)
Most chemotherapy is given intravenously, which means using a needle to access your vein (called an I.V.). Access to a good vein in the arm is important for chemotherapy. Sometimes veins in the arm cannot be used for chemotherapy. A semi-permanent implanted catheter (tube) may be placed in a larger vein somewhere else on your body if your arm veins are too weak or small for the regular I.V.. Three kinds of catheters are available. Each kind has unique features, although all catheters should be periodically flushed (rinsed out with a syringe) with a weak concentration of Heparin, a blood thinner used to keep blood from clogging the catheter.

Implanted Port: The implanted port has a catheter placed in the subclavian vein in the chest near your collarbone, and attached to a small round device called a port. This is done in a short surgical procedure. The catheter and port are both under the skin on the upper chest. An I.V. is started by cleaning the skin and placing a needle through the skin and into the port. When there is no need for I.V. access, the needle can be removed and no special care is needed of the area.

HICKMAN® catheter and BROVIAC® catheter: The Hickman® or Broviac® catheters are similar, although instead of being attached to a port under the skin, the end of the catheter extends out through the skin on the upper chest and ends in a hub. This is done in a short surgical procedure. Attaching I.V. tubing to the hub starts an I.V. The catheters need dressing changes and flushing once a week.

PICC: The PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) is placed in a vein on the inside of the arm near the bend of the arm in a similar way that an I.V. needle is placed. This may be done in your hospital room, at an outpatient clinic or in the x-ray department of a hospital. Inside the arm, the catheter extends up the vein into one of the larger veins in the chest. Attaching I.V. tubing to the end of the PICC starts an I.V. The PICC needs dressing changes once a week, and the catheter needs to be flushed once a week.