In the complex and high-stakes field of anesthesia, patient safety is paramount. A pre-use anesthesia equipment checklist has become a critical tool to mitigate risks and prevent equipment-related complications [1]. As anesthesia providers rely on a range of sophisticated devices to deliver and monitor anesthesia, even minor equipment malfunctions can have life-threatening consequences. An equipment checklist, completed before every procedure, ensures that all essential equipment is functioning properly, reducing the risk of adverse events and enhancing overall patient safety [1].
Given the increasing emphasis on quality standards in healthcare, a structured, comprehensive checklist aligns with guidelines from professional organizations like the American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Not only does it improve patient outcomes, but it also streamlines workflow, enhances team communication, and helps build patient confidence in the safety of anesthesia practices. In light of these benefits, implementing a thorough pre-use anesthesia equipment checklist is, without question, the need of the hour.
Combined spinal epidural is a routinely performed anesthetic procedure. There have been reports of faulty epidural catheters, which has made us more aware of the importance of inspecting each of these devices before performing the procedure [1-3]. We describe a case of missing label or indicator on the catheter tip (Figure 1). If we have not noticed it before placement, it may lead to confusion of broken tip of catheter being inside the patient body during removal resulting in unwarranted radiological investigation like MRI and creating undue stress to the patient and anesthesiologist. As a result, it is critical that all medical equipment undergo thorough testing and meet ASTM requirements before being released into the market for usage. It is also our responsibility to check each equipment before the procedure.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The authors have no sources of funding to declare for this manuscript.
Figure 1: Showing two epidural catheters, one without blue tip and one with the blue tip.