Retained Intrathecal Catheter in a Patient With Baastrup Disease

Neuraxial catheters are typically removed without complications. In rare cases, however, breakage of the catheter may lead to a retained catheter fragment. We present a case of an epidural catheter inadvertently placed in the intrathecal space. The catheter sheared on attempted removal. The computed tomography scan of the lumbar spine revealed hypertrophic spinous processes (Baastrup disease) and a retained catheter fragment located in the thecal sac at L3-L4, terminating at the anterior portion of the interspinous ligament at L4-L5. Proper precautions should be taken when removing neuraxial catheters to prevent this complication.