Unrecognized contralateral intrapleural catheter: bilateral blockade may obscure detection of failed epidural catheterization.
Thoracic epidural analgesia has been widely used to reduce both postoperative and posttraumatic pain. We describe a case of inadvertent right-sided interpleural catheter placement and pneumothorax during attempted epidural catheter placement for left-sided rib fractures that went unrecognized because of bilateral blockade and adequate analgesia.
Cordone
Michael A
MA
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine; Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Wu
Christopher L
CL
Maceda
Aimee L
AL
Richman
Jeffrey M
JM
D000368:Aged; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000379:methods; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed