Intercostal misplacement of a thoracic epidural catheter discovered during lung cancer surgery: a case report

Blind epidural catheter placement can lead to inadvertent misplacement. We present a case of intercostal misplacement of a thoracic epidural catheter.

A 67-year-old male underwent left lung cancer surgery via thoracotomy with epidural analgesia via the Th 5-6 intervertebral space, although with some difficulty. We detected dermatomal cold sensory loss around Th five min after initial administration of local anesthetics through the catheter before general anesthesia induction. However, the epidural catheter was intraoperatively found below the fifth rib, running along the course of the intercostal nerve. The catheter was successfully withdrawn via his back, and we postoperatively performed paravertebral block under ultrasound guidance. He did not complain of complications at discharge.

Detailed bilateral assessment of sensory loss after initial local anesthetic administration might have facilitated preoperative detection of the misplacement. In cases requiring multiple catheter insertion attempts, switching to another analgesic method should be considered.