Broken epidural catheter: individualize your management

Abstract

Epidural anaesthesia is one of the most used neuraxial anaesthesia techniques. It has been utilized as the principal anaesthesia modality involving lower limb surgery. Breakage of epidural catheters is an unusual occurrence whose subsequent therapy lacks uniformity due to the absence of a consensus and defined standards. A 39-year-old male with no comorbidities was scheduled for right lower limb reconstruction surgery due to non-union of the tibia. Combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia was planned. During epidural catheter insertion, there was difficulty threading the catheter, and upon its removal, a long segment of catheter (8 cm) was left inside the body. Following informed consent from the patient, the retained fragment was surgically extracted in the same sitting under general anaesthesia. Even when faced with such a circumstance, it is best to explore surgically and remove a long segment broken catheter to allay patient anxiety.