This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vlachtsis, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vlachtsis, H.

---

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Brown-Séquard Syndrome Following Removal of a Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage Catheter After Thoracic Aortic Surgery

Department of Anaesthesia, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom, hvlachtsis{at}hotmail.com

To the Editor:

I read with interest the case report by Puchakalaya and Tremper (1). The practice in our hospital is similar to that described by the authors, as we also insert the spinal drainage catheter into the patient before surgery on thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. I am concerned about advancing the catheter 17 cm into the intrathecal space. We only advance the catheter 5 cm into the intrathecal space. The authors postulated that the mechanism of spinal cord injury might have been a result of coiling of the catheter and subsequent uncoiling on removal resulting in spinal cord injury. Fortunately, there were no long-term neurological sequelae. However, advancing a shorter length of catheter into the intrathecal space might have reduced the risk.

Reference

1. Puchakayala MR, Tremper KK. Brown-Séquard syndrome following removal of a cerebrospinal fluid drainage catheter after thoracic aortic surgery. Anesth Analg 2005;101:322–4.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vlachtsis, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vlachtsis, H.