title: Breakage of a thoracic epidural catheter during its removal -A case report-.
abstract: The breakage of an epidural catheter is a rare complication during the removal of a thoracic epidural catheter. There are many causes to breakage of an epidural catheter, such as the characteristics of the catheter itself, patient's factors (anatomy, position during insertion and removal of the catheter, and the BMI), and the difficulty of the procedure. Surgical removal is considered if there is a possibility that the retained catheter might cause neurological problems. We experienced a breakage of an epidural catheter during its removal, which led to surgical intervention. To prevent the catheter breakage during its removal, the catheter should be withdrawn without excessive tension. In addition, an understanding of the patient's anatomy is essential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee Youn
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Woo-Seok
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Mikyung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chul Joong
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lee