DESIGN OPTIONS®

Description of Event or Problem

REGISTERED NURSE (RN) ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE EPIDURAL CATHETER FROM PATIENT'S BACK WHILE PATIENT ON HER SIDE AND MET SIGNIFICANT RESISTANCE. HAD PATIENT CURL AROUND ABDOMEN TO OPEN THE SPINAL SPACE. STILL UNABLE TO REMOVE EPIDURAL CATHETER. RN CALLED ANESTHESIA PROVIDER TO COME EVALUATE. ANESTHESIA PROVIDER'S ATTEMPT TO REMOVE EPIDURAL CATHETER AND ALSO MET SIGNIFICANT RESISTANCE. DUE TO PATIENT NOT HAVING MUCH FEELING IN HER LEGS ANESTHESIA PROVIDER DETERMINED THAT MORE TIME SHOULD BE GIVEN FOR SENSATION TO COME BACK TO PATIENT'S LEGS. 30 MIN LATER ANESTHESIA PROVIDER RETURNED TO PATIENT'S BEDSIDE TO REASSESS PATIENT'S SENSATION IN LEGS. SENSATION HAD IMPROVED AND ANESTHESIA PROVIDER ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE EPIDURAL CATHETER WHILE PATIENT WAS SITTING UP HUNCHED OVER ABDOMEN. ANESTHESIA PROVIDER UNABLE TO REMOVE EPIDURAL CATHETER. HAS PATIENT GET ONTO HANDS AND KNEES AND WAS ABLE TO REMOVE EPIDURAL CATHETER AT THIS POINT, BUT THE TIP OF THE CATHETER DID NOT COME OUT. THE CATHETER APPEARED TO HAVE UNCOILED WHERE IT BROKE OFF AND ANESTHESIA PROVIDER ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE REST OF THE CATHETER BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. ANESTHESIA PROVIDER DETERMINED THAT PATIENT WAS STABLE TO MOVE TO POSTPARTUM AND TO PASS ALONG TO THE POSTPARTUM NURSE TO WATCH FOR SIGNS OF INFECTION AND THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE PATIENT ON POSTPARTUM.