title: Intraparenchymal migration of an intrathecal catheter three years after implantation.
abstract: Intrathecal drug administration using implanted catheter and pump systems has been used in routine clinical practice for more than 20 years to treat chronic refractory pain or spasticity. Complications associated with the use of these systems include drug related adverse events as well as technical problems, most of which are related either to the catheter or the procedure. Although traumatic neural damage is exceedingly rare it is usually associated with significant neurological impairment. We present a case of asymptomatic intraspinal migration of an intrathecal catheter three years after an uneventful implantation. To the best of our knowledge, this complication has never been reported before.
authors.affiliation: Anesthesiology and Pain Management Services, EHC-Hôpital de Morges, 1110 Morges, Switzerland. Eric.Albrecht@hospvd.ch
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durrer
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chédel
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maeder
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buchser
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration; D006801:Humans; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D010146:Pain; D013116:Spinal Cord