scholarly journals Migrating lumbar intrathecal catheter fragment associated with intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Hnenny ◽  
Hatem A. Sabry ◽  
Jeffrey S. Raskin ◽  
Jesse J. Liu ◽  
Neil E. Roundy ◽  
...  

Intrathecal catheter placement into the lumbar cistern has varied indications, including drug delivery and CSF diversion. These Silastic catheters are elastic and durable; however, catheter-associated malfunctions are well reported in the literature. Fractured catheters are managed with some variability, but entirely intradural retained fragments are often managed conservatively with observation. The authors describe a case of a 70-year-old man with an implanted intrathecal morphine pump for failed back surgery syndrome who presented to an outside hospital with a history of headache, neck pain, nausea, and photophobia of 3 days' duration. He also described mild weakness and intermittent numbness of both legs. Unenhanced head CT demonstrated subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A right C-5 hemilaminectomy was performed. This case is unique in that there was no indication that the lumbar intrathecal catheter had fractured prior to the patient's presentation with SAH. This case demonstrates that intrathecal catheter fragments are mobile and can precipitate intracranial morbidity. Extrication of known fragments is safe and should be attempted to prevent further neurosurgical morbidity.

2008 ◽  
Vol 3;11 (5;3) ◽  
pp. 363-367
Author(s):  
Xiulu Ruan

Background: Intraspinal drug delivery therapy has been increasingly used in patients with intractable, nonmalignant pain who fail to respond to conventional treatment or cannot tolerate systemic opioid therapy due to side effects. By infusing small amount of analgesics directly into the cerebrospinal fluid in close proximity to the receptor sites in the spinal cord, one is able to achieve the spinally mediated analgesia, sparing side effects due to systemic opioids. Prior to permanent intraspinal pump implantation, an intraspinal opioid screening trial is required to document the efficacy of intraspinal opioid for analgesia. Although there are a few approaches in conducting such screening trials, a patient controlled continuous epidural morphine infusion trial, performed in an outpatient setting, is widely accepted by many interventional pain specialists. The major advantage of conducting an outpatient trial is that it mimics what patients do in their daily living, therefore minimizing the false positive rate. Objective: To report a case of severe peripheral edema observed during an outpatient continuous epidural morphine infusion trial. Case Report: A 64-year-old female, with a 7-year history of severe low back pain and bilateral leg pain due to failed back surgery syndrome, was referred to our clinic for intraspinal drug delivey therapy after failing to respond to conservative treatment, including a previous history of 3 lumbosacral surgeries. Following a pre-implantation psychological evaluation confirming her candidacy, she underwent an outpatient patient-controlled continuous epidural morphine trial. A tunneled lumbar epidural catheter was placed at L2-L3 with catheter tip advanced to T12 under fluoroscopic guidance. Satisfactory catheter placement was confirmed by epidurogram. The proximal tip of the catheter was then tunneled, subcutaneously and connected to a MicrojectTM PCEA pump (Codman, Raynham, MA, USA) and reservoir bag containing preservative-free morphine 0.5 mg/mL. The pump was programmed to deliver a basal rate of 0.5 mL/hr. The bolus dose was 0.2 mL with 60 minute lock-out interval. The patient was instructed how to operate the infusion pump before discharging home. During the following 2 weeks, she reported more than 90% reduction of her low back and leg pain. She only had to use the on-demand bolus doses averaging 2 – 3 times a day. She was able to wean off her oral opioids completely. However, she developed bilateral leg edema and gained over 12 pounds during the 2-week infusion trial, despite wearing elastic stockings and keeping her legs elevated whenever possible. She did not experience any other significant side effects. Her edema finally resolved 2 days after termination of the epidural infusion. Conclusion: Peripheral edema may occur and persist during epidural morphine infusion. This report represents the first case report, to the best of our knowledge, describing severe peripheral edema in an otherwise healthy patient while on epidural morphine administration during an outpatient epidural morphine infusion trial. This case report shows that continuous epidural morphine infusion, even in small dose, may cause peripheral edema in some patients. Key words: Epidural morphine infusion trial, intraspinal drug delivery pump, failed back surgery syndrome, methadone, peripheral edema


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Lisa Goudman ◽  
Ann De Smedt ◽  
Koen Putman ◽  
Maarten Moens ◽  
_ _

OBJECTIVEIn recent years, the use of high-dose spinal cord stimulation (HD-SCS) as a treatment option for patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) has drastically increased. However, to the authors’ knowledge a thorough evaluation of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and work status in these patients has not yet been performed. Moreover, it is unclear whether patients who are treated with HD-SCS can regain the same levels of HRQOL as the general population. Therefore, the aims of this study were to compare the HRQOL of patients who receive HD-SCS to HRQOL values in an age- and sex-adjusted population without FBSS and to evaluate work status in patients who are receiving HD-SCS.METHODSHRQOL, measured with the 3-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-3L), and work status were evaluated in 185 FBSS patients at baseline (i.e., before SCS) and at 1, 3, and 12 months of treatment with HD-SCS. Difference scores in utility values between patients and an age- and sex-adjusted normal population were calculated. One-sample Wilcoxon tests were used to assess the EQ-5D-3L difference scores. Mixed models were used to evaluate the evolution over time in EQ-5D-3L utility scores and EQ-5D visual analog scale (VAS) scores in patients and matched controls. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated using the area under the curve method.RESULTSAn overall significant increase in EQ-5D-3L utility scores and EQ-5D VAS scores was found over time in the patient group. Wilcoxon tests indicated that the difference scores in utility values between patients and the normal population were significantly different from zero at all time points. The median incremental QALY after 12 months of HD-SCS was 0.228 (Q1–Q3: 0.005–0.487) in comparison to continued conservative treatment. At 12 months, 13.75% of patients resumed work.CONCLUSIONSHD-SCS may lead to significantly increased HRQOL at 12 months in patients with FBSS. Despite the increase, reaching the HRQOL level of matched controls was not achieved. Only a limited number of patients were able to return to work. This finding indicates that specialized programs to enhance return to work may be beneficial for patients undergoing SCS.


Pain Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Christelis ◽  
Brian Simpson ◽  
Marc Russo ◽  
Michael Stanton-Hicks ◽  
Giancarlo Barolat ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective For many medical professionals dealing with patients with persistent pain following spine surgery, the term failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) as a diagnostic label is inadequate, misleading and potentially troublesome. It misrepresents causation. Alternative terms have been suggested but none has replaced FBSS. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) published a revised classification of chronic pain, as part of the new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which has been accepted by the World Health Organization (WHO). This includes the term Chronic pain after spinal surgery (CPSS), which is suggested as a replacement for FBSS. Methods This article provides arguments and rationale for a replacement definition. In order to propose a broadly applicable yet more precise and clinically informative term, an international group of experts was established. Results 14 candidate replacement terms were considered and ranked. The application of agreed criteria reduced this to a shortlist of four. A preferred option – Persistent spinal pain syndrome – was selected by a structured workshop and Delphi process. We provide rationale for using Persistent spinal pain syndrome and a schema for its incorporation into ICD-11. We propose the adoption of this term would strengthen the new ICD-11 classification. Conclusions This project is important to those in the fields of pain management, spine surgery and neuromodulation, as well as patients labelled with FBSS. Through a shift in perspective it could facilitate the application of the new ICD-11 classification and allow clearer discussion amongst medical professionals, industry, funding organisations, academia, and the legal profession.


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