title: Retained anchoring suture after removal of a Cope-loop drainage catheter: use of the retract-and-cut method.
abstract: A method is described for managing retention of the anchoring suture within the tract after a Cope-loop drainage catheter has been removed. In the authors' experience, the overwhelming majority of such strings can be extracted by sliding a dilator over the suture and using gentle manipulation at the site of adherence. However, in 12 patients, this technique was not successful. In these patients, the retract-and-cut method was used: The suture is pulled taut and cut at the surface, allowing it to retract into the tract. This provided a safe and simple solution for this complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Presbyterian Medical Center of Philadelphia, PA 19104.
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Zegel
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brisson
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Freiman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weese
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hartz
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Schilling
mesh_terms: D001646:Bile; D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D013537:Sutures