Port removal: Caring for your child at home after the procedure

Your child has had a port removal. The information on this page explains how to care for your child at home after the procedure, and when to call for help.

Discharge from the hospital

Most children who have a port removal go home two hours after the procedure. Some children remain in the hospital to receive additional treatment. The length of time your child remains at the hospital differs depending on the reason for the removal.

Dressing Care

You will notice that the port site is covered with surgical glue. This glue is sterile and helps to keep the site as clean as possible. The glue will come off on its own within two weeks.

Occasionally, a small gauze dressing may be placed on the port sites (neck and chest) by the interventional radiologist during the port removal. It is normal to see some dry blood on the dressing. Keep the dressing on for 48 hours.

Once the incisions have healed and the glue has come off, there is no need to place any type of new dressing. There should be no bright red bleeding at the port site. If there is, contact the IGT Vascular Access Service resource nurse.

Bathing

Your child may shower 48 hours after the port has been removed. Your child may also have a sponge bath or have the port site cleaned with fresh, clean water 48 hours after the port has been removed. It is not recommended to submerge the port site under water for two full weeks.

Meals

If your child is feeling well enough after the anaesthetic, they can return to eating what they normally eat. It is also important to encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids for 48 hours after the procedure.

Pain relief

If needed, give your child acetaminophen for pain. Do not give your child any medicines that will thin the blood, such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or ibuprofen, without checking with a nurse or your child's doctor first.

Activity

After the port removal, your child will need to stay home from school or day care, and avoid physical activity for the first 24 hours. Your child may return to school 24 hours after the port removal with restricted activity. Your child should avoid swimming and all other major activities for two full weeks. These include:

• contact sports
• gymnastics
• bicycle riding
• rollerblading
• hockey
• soccer
• skiing
• horseback riding

When to see a doctor

Call your child’s home-care nurse, the Vascular Access Service at the hospital, your child’s doctor or clinic nurse, or go to the nearest Emergency Department right away if your child has any of the following:

• A fever greater than 38°C (100.4°F)
• Pain or discomfort requiring acetaminophen after 48 hours
• A noticeable increase in bright red blood around the old port site
• Leakage or drainage at the old port site
• Difficulty breathing
• Noticeable swelling or bruising at the site of the old port

At SickKids

At SickKids, the interventional radiologists work in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging – Division of Image Guided Therapy (IGT). You can call and speak to the IGT Vascular Access Service resource nurse at (416) 813-6986 during working hours or leave a message with the IGT Vascular Access Team. If you have concerns and it is after working hours, please call The Hospital for Sick Children switchboard at 416-813-7500 and ask them to page your child’s doctor on call or go to the nearest Emergency Department.