Broken catheter after Whipple

The case Bruce was about to undergo a major operation with removal of several internal organs – the “Whipple.” He received the standard spiel about the anesthesia and received the pain-destroying epidural catheter prior to entering the operating room (OR). The case went as smoothly as it could have, considering it was a Whipple. As he was being moved over to the stretcher for transport to the recovery room, he hit a snag, or at least, his catheter did. The tip of the catheter became caught up on a rail on the bed and the tension was too much for the small catheter. It gave way after stretching to its fullest. No problem, thought the anesthesiologist, who assumed that the catheter was just pulled out of its snug position in the thoracic spine. On closer inspection, the catheter was missing something peculiar – the tip! Patient care Residents must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health. Communicate effectively and demonstrate caring and respectful behaviors when interacting with patients and their families. The patient is just waking up after general anesthesia and no family is present now, so the most caring and respectful interaction we can have is making sure that the patient arrives to the recovery room in stable condition and that no other lines or catheters become dislodged or removed.