Anesth Analg 2002;95:1087-1089
© 2002 International Anesthesia Research Society
REGIONAL ANESTHESIA
The Breaking of an Intrathecally-Placed Epidural Catheter During Extraction
Stella Ugboma, MD,
Xuan Au-Truong, MD,
Leonard I. Kranzler, MD,
Saleh H. Rifai, MD,
Ninos J. Joseph, BS, and
M. Ramez Salem, MD
Department of Anesthesiology and Department of Surgery, Section of Neurosurgery, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Xuan Au-Truong, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, 836 W Wellington Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Address e-mail to ninos-j.joseph{at}advocatehealth.com
IMPLICATIONS: Misplacement of an epidural catheter into the subarachnoid space is a recognized complication. However, breakage of an intrathecal epidural catheter during removal presents a dilemma. Appropriate imaging, a neurosurgical consultation, and aggressive surgical exploration and extraction of the retained piece are warranted, even in the asymptomatic patient.
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