Broken spinal needle: case report and review of the literature

Caroline Martinello; Ruby Rubio; Erin Hurwitz; Michelle Simon; Rakesh B Vadhera

doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2014.01.008

Broken spinal needle: case report and review of the literature

J Clin Anesth. 2014 Jun;26(4):321-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2014.01.008. Epub 2014 May 27.

Authors

Caroline Martinello¹, Ruby Rubio², Erin Hurwitz², Michelle Simon², Rakesh B Vadhera³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: caromart@utmb.edu.
² Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA. Electronic address: rbvadher@utmb.edu.

PMID: 24875888
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2014.01.008

Abstract

The occurrence of broken spinal and epidural needles has been reported. However, most case reports have focused primarily on prevention rather than on management. A broken spinal needle fragment was left in a patient before it was removed one month later due to back pain.

Keywords: Epidural needle; Neuraxial anesthesia; Obstetrical anesthesia; Spinal anesthesia; Spinal needle breakage.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Anesthesia, Obstetrical / instrumentation
Anesthesia, Spinal / instrumentation
Back Pain / etiology*
Equipment Failure
Female
Foreign Bodies / complications*
Humans
Injections, Spinal / instrumentation
Needles*
Pregnancy