Is it normal for port placement to be unsuccessful?

Sometimes I had my port put in and they had a hard time cause my veins were smaller then they thought but they finally got my port in. I hope and pray that they are successful in placing your port.

It seems to be the norm. as I was headed in to have my port done she let me know what she's going to try first, then second etc...i thought hey now we don't need to be slicing and dicing. It does give you an uncomfortable feeling. She did it the first try. Thank you Jesus. May all go well

I finally got it. Didn’t take long once the doctor arrived. Not sure why there was an issue before. I have two cuts now but I have my post.

My port was put in wrong, broke and the tube fell in my lung, it was very scary, the second Dr put it in correct and it's been fine ever since

Tina, My port was placed by an interventional radiologist. I had it for 7 months and when my metastatic lymph node was removed, my breast and plastic surgeons removed the port. I’m a long term critical care RN and director, and yes, sometimes doctors can have difficulty placing invasive catheters.

After i had my port placed months later it was moving and it was hard to access its doing fine now I would say every one’s experience is different but hopefully you get it because it is way better than using your arm veins

Shameeka, Many invasive chemotherapy meds require a port or central line, to avoid peripheral damage to vessels and tissue. I started chemo immediately thru a peripheral line, but required a central line or port for the more abrasive meds and dosages. Accessing ports can be a challenge and they can develop clots or become infected but these concerns are well addressed by our medical team.

Port placement challenges can happen, and it's not uncommon for procedures to need a second attempt when veins are difficult to access or move during the placement process. Many patients successfully receive their ports on the second try, and the medical team will likely use different techniques or approaches to ensure better success tomorrow. This experience can feel frustrating, but know that the care team wants to get this right so your treatment can proceed smoothly.