• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.311-313
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• 1998

Continuous epidural catheter insertion is common practice in postoperative analgesia. Subarachnoid migration of epidural catheter is a rare complication. Presumed delayed subarachnoid migration of an epidural catheter occured in a 58-year-old female patient after subtotal gastrectomy. Delayed respiratory depression occured 7 hrs after transfer to admission room. She was intubated and had ventilatory care. The fluid from the epidural catheter was examined and the result showed that gucose was 107 mg% and protein was 31 mg%. Immediate naloxone administration and ventilatory care for one day was done. The patient discharged without any sequalae.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.283-287
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• 1996

Recently, continuous epidural catheter insertion is usually employed in operation and chronic pain control. Delayed migration of an extradural catheter into subdural space or subarachnoid space is a rare but life threatening complication of continuous epidural catheter insertion, especially with out patients. The symptoms may include lower extremity weakness, hypotension, drowsy and respiratory depression. We experienced two cases of lower extremity paralysis due to delayed migration into subdural or subarachnoid spaces at our pain clinic. The tecnical procedures for continuous epidural catheterization went smoothly without any complications. However, clinical signs of lower extremity paralysis and sensory loss developed gradually, about 2 hours and 30 minutes after the continuous epidural injection. Two cases were confirmed by subdurogram and myelogram.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.170-173
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• 2008

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is commonly and effectively used to treat hydrocephalus. Intracardiac migration of the shunt catheter is a rare complication. A 68-year-old woman underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting for hydrocephalus secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage due to anterior communicating artery aneurysm rupture. Two weeks after the shunt surgery, she had suffered from the abdominal pain. Plain chest x-rays, computed tomography, and echocardiography revealed the distal catheter which was in the right ventricle of the heart. We tried to remove the catheter through the internal jugular vein by fluoroscopic guidance. But, the distal catheter was kinked and knotted; therefore, we failed to withdraw the catheter. After then, we punctured the right femoral vein and pulled down the multi-knotted shunt catheter to the femoral vein using the snare catheter. Finally, we removed the knotted distal catheter via the femoral vein and a new distal catheter was placed into the peritoneal cavity. We report a case in which the distal catheter of the VP shunt migrated into the heart via the internal jugular vein. We emphasize the importance of careful and proper placement of the distal catheter during the tunneling procedure to prevent life-threatening complications.