A chemo port (implanted port, central venous port) is a small injection chamber placed under the skin of the chest or upper arm, connected by a thin tube to a large vein near the heart. Once it is in place, chemotherapy, intravenous nutrition, blood tests and CT contrast can all go through the same site, so the arm veins do not need to be punctured every time. The procedure is done under local anesthesia in about 30 to 45 minutes, most people go home the same day, and the port can be used straight away.
This guide draws on patient information from the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE) and University College London Hospitals (UCLH), a 433-patient arm port study from Kyoto University Hospital in Japan, a 1,005-implantation series from Tübingen University Hospital in Germany, and a meta-analysis of 13 studies with 3,896 patients. It covers who benefits, the procedure, chest versus arm ports, home care and removal.
Treatment status · Port insertion is a standard procedure at cancer hospitals in the United States, Europe and Japan. The IVR Center of Japan's National Cancer Center Hospital lists central venous ports among its main procedures. All figures below come from studies in real patients and from hospital patient guides.
What a chemo port looks like
A port has two parts: a round chamber about the size of a coin and a thin catheter attached to it. The chamber is made of plastic or metal, and its top is a silicone membrane that reseals after each needle. Under the skin it feels like a small bump.
The catheter enters a vein in the neck or arm and ends in the large vein just above the heart (the superior vena cava). Blood flow there is high, so strong chemotherapy drugs are diluted quickly and the vein wall is spared. For each treatment a nurse inserts a special needle through the skin into the chamber and removes it afterward. Between treatments the skin covers everything, with no tube outside the body.
Who benefits
CIRSE lists long-term medication, nutrition, blood tests and contrast injection for frequent CT scans as the main uses. Ordinary arm drips need changing every few days, so a port is far more comfortable when treatment lasts for months.
- Patients on chemotherapy for several months or longer: for example colorectal, breast, stomach or pancreatic cancer treated with regular infusions.
- Patients with thin or hard-to-find arm veins: repeated needle sticks are avoided.
- Patients needing intravenous nutrition or frequent blood tests: the same chamber serves both.
Ports are also used for hepatic arterial infusion, where drugs go directly to liver tumors, but in that case the catheter sits in an artery rather than a vein. See our hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy guide for the difference.
The procedure, from preparation to going home
Ports are often placed by interventional radiologists using ultrasound and X-ray fluoroscopy; in some hospitals surgeons do it. The European society guide and the UK hospital guide follow the same overall pattern.
| Item | CIRSE (Europe) | UCLH (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting | You may be asked to fast for 6 to 8 hours | No food for 6 hours, clear fluids up to 2 hours before |
| Before the procedure | Tell the doctor about all medicines; blood-thinning drugs may be adjusted | Full blood count and clotting test; tell staff about blood thinners |
| Anesthesia | Awake with local anesthesia, sometimes a sedative | Local anesthesia; sedation usually not needed |
| Duration | Usually 30 to 45 minutes | About 1 hour |
| First use | Can be used immediately | Can be used immediately |
| Going home | Home after recovery on the ward | About 1 hour in recovery, normal activities the next day |
Based on the CIRSE venous port patient information and UCLH patient information. Follow your own hospital's instructions where they differ.
- Step 1: The chest skin is cleaned and numbed with local anesthetic. You may feel stinging and pressure, but it should not be painful.
- Step 2: A neck vein is located with ultrasound, a needle is inserted, and a thin guidewire is passed to the large chest vein under fluoroscopy.
- Step 3: The catheter is advanced over the wire and its tip position is checked on X-ray.
- Step 4: A small pocket is made under the skin below the collarbone for the chamber, and the catheter is tunneled under the skin to connect to it.
- Step 5: The wounds are closed with dissolvable stitches or skin glue.
Chest port or arm port?
Most ports go below the collarbone, but some are placed on the inner upper arm. Arm ports leave no chest scar and avoid the lung area, and Kyoto University Hospital in Japan is among the centers that use them. Researchers pooled 13 comparative studies with 3,896 patients (2,176 chest ports, 1,720 arm ports).
| Outcome | Chest port | Arm port | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total complications | 11.8% | 12.8% | No significant difference |
| Procedure-related infection | 3.15% | 3.37% | No significant difference |
| Thrombosis | 2.87% | 3.91% | No significant difference |
| Complications during insertion | 1.38% | 0.41% | Fewer with arm ports |
| Switched to another route | 2.51% | 8.32% | Fewer with chest ports |
Li G, et al. Cancer Management and Research 2019;11:6099-6112. Both options are safe; the choice depends on your veins and daily life.
In short, overall safety is similar. When arm veins are thin, the team switches to the chest a little more often, while chest ports rarely cause vessel or lung problems during insertion. Mentioning things like where a bra strap sits, your dominant arm, or the side of any breast surgery helps the team choose the site.
Safety in published studies
Port outcomes have been reported in thousands of patients. Large series from university hospitals in Japan and Germany show that most patients use their port throughout treatment without major problems.
| Study | Patients | Key results |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto University Hospital, Japan (2016) | 433 arm ports, followed to 2014 | All 433 placed successfully; no pneumothorax, hemothorax or arterial injury; about 87.8% used for one year without removal; no port-related deaths |
| Tübingen University Hospital, Germany (2022) | 991 patients, 1,008 attempts | 1,005 successful implantations (99.7%); no intraoperative or perioperative complications; no pneumothorax |
| Meta-analysis (2019) | 13 studies, 3,896 patients | Total complications similar: chest 11.8%, arm 12.8% |
Mori Y, et al. Int J Clin Oncol 2016;21:474-482 / Tübingen study, Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery 2022 / Li G, et al. CMAR 2019.
Infection is the most common issue. In the Kyoto study, 43 of 433 patients (9.9%) had an infection during long-term use, or 0.17 per 1,000 catheter days. In the Tübingen series, infection occurred in 4.7% (bloodstream 3.2%, port pocket 1.5%). Thrombosis and catheter blockage each occurred in 2.3% in the Kyoto study. Most cases are managed with antibiotics, blood thinners or flushing, and if needed the port is removed and replaced.
Caring for your port at home
For a few days the site may feel sore and bruised; ordinary painkillers help. UCLH advises taking it easy on the day and resuming normal activities the next day. With a waterproof dressing, short showers are fine, but avoid long soaks until the wound has healed.
| Situation | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wound strips and stitches | Adhesive strips fall off in about 5 days; a neck stitch, if used, comes out at 5 to 7 days; dissolvable stitches need no removal | CIRSE |
| When the port is not in use | Flush every 4 weeks | UCLH |
| Fever over 38°C, shivering, pain, redness or swelling at the port | Contact the hospital at once; infection is treated with antibiotics | UCLH |
| Swelling or pain in the shoulder, neck or arm on the port side | Contact the hospital at once for a clot check | UCLH |
| Sudden breathlessness or chest pain | Go to emergency care | UCLH |
Based on CIRSE and UCLH patient information.
The needle may sting briefly when it goes in; a numbing cream applied beforehand makes it much easier.
Japan and overseas, and removal
| Region | Current practice | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | The National Cancer Center Hospital IVR Center lists central venous ports among its main procedures; Kyoto University Hospital reported results in 433 arm-port patients | National Cancer Center IVR Center announcement (Japanese), Mori 2016 |
| Europe | CIRSE publishes patient information and presents it as a standard interventional radiology procedure; a German university hospital reported 1,005 implantations | CIRSE, Tübingen 2022 |
| United Kingdom | NHS radiology departments place ports as day cases under local anesthesia | UCLH |
International patients are often not covered by the local public insurance, so confirm costs and schedules directly with the hospital.
A port can stay in safely for as long as treatment is needed. When it is no longer required, it is removed through a small incision under local anesthesia, and CIRSE notes that pressure is applied for a few minutes afterward to prevent bleeding. If you plan to receive chemotherapy abroad, check in advance whether a port is recommended and whether a port you already have can be used there (port type and needle size). For image-guided procedures in general, see our IVR (interventional radiology) guide and our biopsy and drainage article.
Questions for your care team
- Does my treatment plan need a port, or are ordinary IV lines enough?
- Will it go in my chest or arm, and why?
- Do I need to stop any medicines before the procedure?
- How often, and where, will it be flushed when not in use?
- When will it be removed after treatment ends?
For more on preparing for a consultation, see five questions to ask before an RFA consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Is port insertion painful?
It is done under local anesthesia, so you feel stinging and pressure rather than pain. The site may be sore and bruised for a few days, which ordinary painkillers control.
Can chemotherapy start on the day the port is placed?
CIRSE and UCLH both say the port can be used immediately. Your doctor sets the actual start date based on your treatment plan.
Can I shower or exercise with a port?
Short showers are fine with a waterproof dressing, and normal washing resumes once the wound heals. Normal activities can resume the next day; ask your doctor when heavy lifting or strenuous exercise is safe.
When is the port removed?
It is removed under local anesthesia once it is no longer needed. If further treatment is likely, it may be left in place and flushed every 4 weeks.
This article summarises overseas official sources and studies as general information and is not medical advice. Discuss treatment choices with a doctor who has examined you.
Sources (checked October 29, 2026)
- CIRSE. Central venous catheter insertion – venous ports (Patient Information).
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. IR port-cath insertion.
- Mori Y, Nagayama S, Kawamura J, et al. A retrospective analysis on the utility and complications of upper arm ports in 433 cases at a single institute. International Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2016;21:474-482.
- Standardized procedure prevents perioperative and early complications in totally implantable venous-access ports: a complication analysis of more than 1000 TIVAP implantations. Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery. 2022.
- Li G, Zhang Y, Ma H, Zheng J. Arm port vs chest port: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer Management and Research. 2019;11:6099-6112.
- National Cancer Center Hospital, Japan. Opening of the IVR Center, December 10, 2014 (Japanese).