It seems to me that you are describing a PICC line this is not a port.
Most people either have a normal iv or a port. The port is in your chest and goes in a large vein, where the drug gets diluted much more quickly and causes less damage on the blood vessels. A port has definite advantages it works every time, also useful for drawing blood.
The other options are central line or PICC. To me (!!) these do not appear to be longer term solutions. However that it just my opinion.
This describes the differences:
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Lymphomanon-Hodgkin/Treatment/Chemotherapy#6107http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy/overview/ports.jsp(I did not find a picture on the OCF web)
M
