Method and apparatus for locating the injection point of an implanted medical device

A method for determining an orientation of an implantable drug port to assist in guiding a needle into the port, wherein the implantable drug port comprises a non-inflatable housing having a first and second side, a septum disposed within the housing and a first and second indicator spaced apart along a first axis of the housing comprising the steps of:

• locating the implanted non-inflatable housing;
• imaging the housing along a second axis not parallel to the first axis;
• and
• determining the orientation of the housing with respect to the first and second sides.

A method for guiding a needle into an implantable drug port, comprising the steps of:

• providing a drug port comprising a non-inflatable housing, a septum disposed within the housing and a first and second indicator spaced apart along a first axis of the housing, wherein the indicators are distinguishable, one from the other, by an imaging technique;
• implanting the drug port with the first axis normal to a patient's skin surface;
• employing the imaging technique to image the drug port along a second axis not parallel to the first axis;
• determining the orientation of the drug port based on an imaged spatial relationship of the first indicator to the second indicator;
• and
• inserting the needle into the septum at a location where the septum is accessible.

An implantable drug port, comprising:

• a housing;
• a septum disposed within the housing, wherein a lumen is defined within the housing beneath the septum and accessible through the septum;
• and
• indicators associated with the housing, comprising a lower locator ring and an upper locator ring, wherein the rings are spaced apart along an axis of the housing, and wherein at least one of the rings is interrupted creating a discontinuity.