Vascular Access Ports

The vascular access port has evolved from being an intravascular access port into a multi-purpose access port for use in intestinal, biliary, intraspinal, cranial, ventricular, and other applications. It is available in a variety of configurations for most species and catheter sizes. The catheter may be pre-attached during manufacture or attached intraoperatively by the surgeon. These ports are fabricated from the highest quality biomaterials.

Ports are entirely implanted catheter devices which do not exit through the animal’s skin. There is little concern about the animal disturbing the port thereby obviating the need for a jacket or other protective apparatus. Because there is no chronic exit site wound, infection risks associated with ports are considerably lower than with external catheters. The use of ports has provided many new research opportunities, and it represents a refined technique which has reduced animal use and minimized stress.

Catheter Biomaterials
Silicone rubber continues to be the most common material; however, polyurethanes have proven to be more hemocompatible than silicone. Furthermore the CBAS® heparin coated polyurethane has proven to be the most thromboresistant material of all available technologies. This catalog offers a full range of silicone, polyurethane, and CBAS®-coated polyurethane catheters in sizes for all species

Round Tips
The round distal tip is less traumatic to the intimal lining of blood vessels. Square cut or bevel cut catheters have sharp edges which irritate the blood vessel’s intimal lining thus hastening the host’s thrombogenic response. Round tips are available on polyurethane and CBAS®-coated polyurethane catheters.