Foot Drop Following Epidural Catheter Placement for Postoperative Analgesia Following Lower Extremity Orthopedic Surgery in an Adolescent: Investigation and Etiology

Abstract

Although the incidence of significant neurologic injury following epidural analgesia remains exceedingly low in both adult and pediatric patients, the consequences of such injury can be devasting. Given these concerns, immediate investigation into the etiology of postoperative neurologic deficits is mandatory, especially when they occur in the dermatomes affected by the neuraxial technique. We report an 18-year-old male patient who had an intraoperative lumbar epidural catheter placed to provide analgesia following lower extremity oncologic surgery. Foot drop was noted on the fourth postoperative day. Potential etiologies for this neurologic deficit are presented, appropriate workup discussed, and previous anecdotal reports of similar occurrences reviewed.

Int J Clin Pediatr. 2023;12(1):15-21
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/ijcp513