TY - JOUR
T1 - Retained intrathecal catheter fragment after spinal drain insertion steps for prevention and management
AU - Forsythe, Akara
AU - Gupta, Anita
AU - Cohen, Steven P.
PY - 2009/7/1
Y1 - 2009/7/1
N2 - Background and Objectives: 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.
AB - Background and Objectives: 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.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350138008&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70350138008&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/AAP.0b013e3181ac9e8a
DO - 10.1097/AAP.0b013e3181ac9e8a
M3 - Article
C2 - 19585702
AN - SCOPUS:70350138008
SN - 1098-7339
VL - 34
SP - 375
EP - 378
JO - Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
JF - Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
IS - 4
ER -