Broken Epidural Catheter; a Rare Complication

Breakage of epidural catheter is a rare and worrisome complication. However, if this happens, the presence of retained epidural catheter fragment should be properly documented and should also be informed to the surgical team as well as to the patient. Visualization of retained catheter is difficult even with modern radiological imaging techniques and active surgical intervention should be reserved only for symptomatic cases. The usual guidelines and precautions for insertion and removal of catheter should strictly be followed on a routine basis to avoid such complication. Here we report a case with such complication in which catheter broke during insertion, the reason of which could be attributed to a multiple cause.