Oncology

Drugs used for chemotherapy can often irritate the skin and veins, causing insertion of needles and drips to be very painful and difficult.

For patients who need frequent or continuous administration of chemotherapy or other long-term intravenous therapy, Sydney Medical Interventions has a variety of solutions to assist with pain-free and efficient delivery of medication into the blood stream.

Portacath

Ideal for patients who require frequent or continuous administration of:

  • chemotherapy
  • blood transfusions
  • antibiotics
  • intravenous feeding
  • blood draws

Benefits:

  • The delivery of medications and fluids or withdrawal of blood samples becomes more comfortable for you.
  • It protects your veins.
  • Fewer needle sticks directly into your vein.
  • Even though you can feel the portacath under your skin, there is no extension of the port outside your body.
  • After port placement, the surgical site heals and you can bath and swim without the need to cover the site.
  • No special care needed for the port.

Chemotherapy treatment is among the treatments that are easier after a portacath is implanted.

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Hickman Line – Hickman Catheter

Ideal for patients who require frequent or continuous administration of:

  • chemotherapy
  • long-term antibiotics
  • blood infusions

Benefits:

  • Reliable way to administer intravenous medications, nutrients or take blood samples.
  • Avoid needle punctures every time you have a treatment.
  • Treatment becomes more comfortable and less stressful.
  • It can remain in place through your entire treatment.
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PICC Line

Ideal for patients who require long-term administration of:

  • chemotherapy
  • long-term antibiotics
  • blood infusions

Benefits:

  • Not surgically implanted and is placed in the upper arm.
  • Can be inserted at home, in a physicians office or at the hospital bedside.
  • It takes about 45 min to an hour to insert.
  • Left in place for a few weeks or months at most.
  • Removed easily just by pulling them from the vein.
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Blocked Bile Ducts – PTC

Ideal for patients who have conditions that cause blocked bile ducts:

  • inflammation of the pancreas or bile ducts
  • tumours – pancreatic cancer, gallbladder, bile duct, liver or enlarged lymph nodes due to a variety of different tumours
  • gallstones, either in the gallbladder or in the bile ducts
  • injury to the bile ducts during surgery
  • infection

Benefits:

  • No surgical incision is required – only a small nick in the skin that does not need to be stitched closed.
  • Additional risks of open surgery are avoided.
  • Shorter hospital stay than that of open surgery.
  • Recovery time is significantly shorter than open surgery.
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Nephrostomy & Ureteric Stent

Ideal for patients with:

  • cancer blocking one or both ureters
  • kidney stones

Benefits:

  • A ureteral stent or nephrostomy catheter will allow urine to flow again from the kidney and permit the kidney to function normally.
  • Maintains kidney function and protects the kidney from damage and infection.
  • Allows access to treat any underlying problem.
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