THE EFFECT OF TUNNELING ON EPIDURAL CATHETER MIGRATION

A prospective, randomised study of 82 patients having postoperative ep idural analgesia was performed to determine whether the tunnelling of an epidural catheter influences its migration. Tunnelling of the cathe ter subcutaneously for a distance of 5 cm reduced the incidence of inw ard migration of 1 cm or more (p<0.01) compared to a standard method o f fixation with a transparent adhesive dressing. This effect was more marked if the epidural catheter was sited in the thoracic rather than the lumbar area. Sixty two percent (n=26) of tunnelled catheters remai ned with 0.5 cm of their original position compared to 38% (n=16) of n on-tunnelled catheters, although this difference was not statistically significant. Outward catheter migration was not reduced by subcutaneo us tunnelling.