Morphine Pump Catheter Causes Chronic Pain

Case Overview

Questions to the Neurosurgery expert and their responses

Do you place and remove morphine pumps? If so, how often?

I perform pump operations approximately 30 times a year.

Is it possible that the catheter caused the patient's symptoms?

From a causation perspective, the piece of catheter most likely was responsible for the pain. However, it is not a standard of care violation to leave a portion of the catheter behind in the spine.

About the expert

This highly qualified and board certified expert earned his BS at Rutgers College and his MD at Rutgers Medical School where he also completed an internship in general surgery. He completed residency training in neurology at New Jersey medical School and neurosurgery at Barrow Neurological Institute, as well as a fellowship training in neurochemistry at the National Institute of Health, and two fellowship in neursurgery at the University of California, Los Angeles and Irvine. This expert has been in practice for 35+ years. Currently he is an associate professor of neurosurgery at a major medical school as well as a practicing neurosurgeon at a university affiliated medical center and a major hospital. This expert is a member of several professional medical societies and national committees. He has given nationally invited neurosurgical presentations, as well as television interviews in his field.

E-000572

Specialties:

Neurosurgery