Central venous access devices provide a long-term, dependable route into a large vein for chemotherapy, blood tests and other treatments. A port-a-cath is a small chamber placed under the skin of the upper chest, joined to a catheter that ends in a large vein. A PICC line is a thin tube inserted through a vein in the upper arm and threaded towards the heart.

Placement is done under local anaesthesia, often with sedation, using ultrasound and X-ray guidance to position the tip correctly. As a multispeciality hospital in Mumbai, Apex can arrange the procedure with radiology and anaesthesia support. A port is accessed with a special needle through the skin, while a PICC line remains outside the body and needs regular dressing changes and flushing.

How the Procedure Can Help

They protect smaller veins from repeated needle sticks and from irritating drugs, and they make long courses of treatment easier.

Risks and Considerations

Risks include infection, blood clots, line blockage, bleeding and, at placement, air leak into the chest. Fever, redness or swelling around the device, arm swelling or pain, and difficulty flushing the line need urgent attention.