Tumour metastasis at the site of a previous epidural catheter

Abstract

Epidural catheters can cause a number of rare, serious complications. The following case report describes a patient who received continuous epidural analgesia following radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. Fifty-three days after the cystectomy, the patient underwent emergency surgery for a metastasis at the vertebral level where the epidural catheter had been inserted. A metastasis at the site of an epidural catheter, which may be a direct complication of epidural analgesia, is a previously unreported event. Local, anatomical and pathological factors which may have led to the patient developing a metastasis at the epidural site are discussed.