title: [Accidental severance of epidural catheter used in a patient with postoperative delirium].
abstract: A 79-year-old man with an abdominal aortic aneurysm had a lumbar epidural catheter inserted for postoperative pain control of bypass graft surgery with continuous epidural analgesia. Five days after the operation, we noticed that forced traction by the patient with delirium had led to the catheter tip being separated and left behind in his body. The remaining portion of the catheter was detected using a lateral lumbar roentgenogram and CT imaging, and it was later removed surgically. We conclude that it was necessary to change the method of analgesia in this patient, since it was difficult to maintain the epidural catheter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Hiroshima City Asa Hospital, Hiroshima 731-0293.
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Michiyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanuki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002404:Catheterization; D003693:Delirium / Q000209:etiology*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013131:Spine