Author: Vibhor Tiwari / Editor: Stephen Sheridan / Codes: EnvC6, OncC2, SLO7 / Published: 19/02/2026
A 60-year-old man walks into the Emergency Department (ED) carrying a small ambulatory infusion pump connected to his chest port. He appears anxious and tells the triage nurse that “the chemo bag is leaking.” The patient is currently receiving continuous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as part of his chemotherapy regimen for colorectal cancer.
The infusion started approximately 24 hours ago and was scheduled to finish later today. He reports that earlier this afternoon, he noticed dampness around the tubing connection site and observed a few drops of clear fluid dripping from the line. He attempted to contact the oncology helpline but was unable to reach anyone, prompting him to attend the ED for assessment.
He reports no systemic symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or nausea. On arrival, the chemotherapy bag still contains a significant amount of fluid, and the pump appears to be operating. There is mild redness and irritation on the skin near the port site where the leak occurred. The patient’s medical history includes colorectal cancer currently being treated with combination chemotherapy, and he has a central venous access port inserted for this purpose. He has no known allergies and is otherwise hemodynamically stable.
A small amount of the leaked fluid is visible on his clothing and on the chair where he was seated. Several relatives and members of the public are nearby, and the triage nurse quickly recognises the potential cytotoxic hazard, alerts the ED team and begins to isolate the affected area.
2 responses
Excellent Revision
Good case and learning, thank you