Price of Poor Quality ! Misleading Epidural Catheter Gauge and Missing Graduation Marks on the Catheter (A Case Report)

• Main Author: Ashok Jadon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2008-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
• Subjects: Epidural; EPICATH™; Epidural catheter; Kinking; Poor quality; Romsons®
• Online Access: http://www.ijaweb.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5049;year=2008;volume=52;issue=5;spage=581;epage=581;aulast=Jadon

Epidural anaesthesia with catheter is very useful technique in modern anaesthesia armamentarium. It is safe, flexible and useful for postoperative analgesia and thus cost effective technique. However, if quality of component(s) (epidural catheter) is poor, it may result in higher incidence of technical failure and inconvenience to operator and harm to patients. We have reported few incidences where the epidural catheter was of poor quality. Our suggestion is that we should use only quality products although the cost may be marginally high but they are more cost effective and safe.