ABSTRACT
The current trend of incorporating coiled wire within the polyurethane or nylon of the catheter wall has produced softer, more flexible catheters, with a reduced incidence and severity of paraesthesiae (3-5%), as well as a lessened risk of vascular damage (1%).3 However, many anaesthetists, particularly those in training, report difficulty with inserting soft catheters through epidural needles, even when a
●● Fig. 9.1 Intact Braun flexible tip catheter on the left, with absent tip on the right, following removal from patient.
