Mediports

I am a nurse and I have a mediport for my IVIG. I have poor venous access so I opted for the mediport. If a sterile technique is used than there is a slim to no chance of infection as compared to other options. There are central lines that are only good for about six weeks. There are PICC lines that are only good for a short time also but if you have bad veins a PICC line is not an option. There are also Groshong catheters but those carry a higher risk of infection. The mediport if not in use has to be flushed once a month with heparin but if you are receiving IVIG treatments which are usually 2 times a month then they don’t have to be because they are in use.
To answer the other question I do my own IVIG every two weeks. I have my aunt who is an IV therapy nurse or the IV team at the hospital I am at access my port and I do it by myself at night. It is so nice that way because its on my own schedule. I can deaccess (remove the needle from the port) my self. Liane