This information explains how to take the needle out of your implanted port.
After your treatment, you will need to take the needle out of your implanted port. This is called deaccessing.
Steps to take the needle out of your implanted port
Follow these steps to take the needle out of your implanted port.
Get ready
- Clean an area to set up your supplies, such as your kitchen table. Do not disconnect your CADD-Solis VIP pump in the bathroom.
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Gather your supplies. You will need:
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A hard plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a plastic coffee container. Write “Chemotherapy Sharps” on the container.
- Make sure the container is hard enough that needles cannot poke through the sides.
- Do not use plastic or paper bags or a milk jug.
- 1 (10 mL) syringe prefilled with normal saline.
- 1 (3 mL) syringe prefilled with heparine saline.
- 1 pair of medical gloves.
- 1 bandage (Band-Aid®).
- 2 alcohol pads.
- 1 gauze pad.
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A hard plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a plastic coffee container. Write “Chemotherapy Sharps” on the container.
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Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- If you’re washing your hands with soap and water, wet your hands and apply soap. Rub your hands together well for at least 20 seconds, then rinse. Dry your hands with a paper towel. Use that same towel to turn off the faucet.
- If you’re using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, cover your hands with it. Rub them together until they’re dry.
- Put on the gloves.
- Clamp the tubing. If you have 2 clamps on your needle, clamp the tubing farthest from your chest.
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Get your saline syringe ready. To do this:
- Pick up the saline syringe. Hold it with the tip facing up.
- Loosen the cap, but do not take it off.
- Push the plunger gently to push any air out of the syringe.
- Retighten the cap.
- Set the syringe down on a clean area.
Flush your tubing
- Clean the needleless connector with an alcohol pad for 15 seconds. Let it dry for 15 seconds.
- Take the cap off the saline syringe by turning it counter-clockwise (to the left).
- Push the saline syringe into the needleless connector and turn it clockwise (to the right).
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Flush the catheter with 10 mL of saline. Push 1 mL in at time and take a quick pause in between pushing in each mL.
- If you’re a pediatric patient: Flush with 5 mL normal saline. Push 1 mL in at a time and take a quick pause in between pushing in each mL.
- Twist the syringe counter-clockwise to take it out of the needleless connector.
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Clean the needleless connector with an alcohol pad for 15 seconds. Let it dry for 15 seconds.
- If you’re a pediatric patient: Attach the 3 mL prefilled heparin syringe. Push 1 mL in at a time and take a quick pause in between pushing in each mL.
- Close the second clamp (the one closest to your body) so it’s pinching the clear tubing.
Take the needle out of your needle site
- Take the bandage off your implanted port. Peel the tape off your skin.
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Take the needle out of your needle site. To do this:
- Hold the base with the 2 fingers of your non-dominant hand (the hand you do not write with).
- Gently push the base of the safety hinge against your skin.
- Firmly pull the textured handle (or wings of the port’s needle) up until you feel a firm stop, a click, or both (see Figure 1). This means that the needle is locked in the safety position (see Figure 2).
Figure 1. Pulling the textured handle up
Figure 2. Examples of needle in locked safety position
- Hold a gauze pad over the needle site and press down until the bleeding stops. Place a bandage (Band-Aid®) over the area where the needle was.
Clean up
- Put the needle directly into the plastic container.
- Put all the used supplies into the plastic container. This includes the empty syringes, medical gloves, and used gauze and alcohol pads. Close the lid tightly.
- Bring the container to your nurse at your next visit. Do not throw it in the trash.
Contact information
Pediatric Service: If you have any questions, contact a member of your care team directly. You can reach a staff member Monday through Friday from to After , during the weekend, and on holidays, call 212-639-2000. Ask for the pediatric doctor covering for your doctor. Call InfuSystem at 800-315-3287 with questions about your pump.
Adult Service: If you have any questions, contact a member of your care team directly. You can reach a staff member Monday through Friday from& to After , during the weekend, and on holidays, call 212-639-2000. Ask for the doctor covering for your doctor. Call InfuSystem at 800-315-3287 with questions about your pump.
