The breaking of an intrathecally-placed epidural catheter during extraction.
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.
D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D013346:Subarachnoid Space / Q000502:physiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed