title: Retained intrathecal catheter fragment after spinal drain insertion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The placement of lumbar spinal drains is being done with increasing frequency to facilitate high-risk surgical procedures. One risk associated with these procedures is catheter shearing, resulting in a retained foreign body in the intrathecal space. Unlike retained epidural fragments, there are no guidelines on the management of this complication. The purpose of this article was to synthesize the literature on this subject to come up with guidelines for preventing and managing this complication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report and review of all published cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most cases of retained catheters are associated with difficulty inserting or advancing the catheter. Among those cases treated conservatively, approximately one third of patients developed symptoms. Factors that must be considered when weighing the decision to surgically remove the retained catheter include patient comorbidities and desires, size and location of the fragment, infectious risk, the presence of neurologic symptoms, and scheduled surgical procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A retained intrathecal catheter can be managed conservatively in certain contexts. Periodic follow-up visits, with or without repeat imaging, are recommended in these circumstances.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Akara
authors: A
authors: Forsythe
authors: Anita
authors: A
authors: Gupta
authors: Steven P
authors: SP
authors: Cohen
mesh_terms: D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011859:Radiography; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000295:instrumentation*