Global shortages in epidural catheters, contrast dye, and medical imaging equipment are causing some healthcare providers to postpone or ration epidural procedures. These are often used to relieve back, labor, and spinal anesthesia for certain surgeries.
Hospitals in Canada are reporting the majority of catheter shortages, although there have been some reports from the United States. The epidural catheters, which are thin plastic tubes that are inserted through the lower back with a needle, allow doctors to administer pain medication and steroids to the spinal region.
Health Canada added FlexTip epidural catheterization kit to the list of medical device shortages last week. The shortage started on July 18, and will continue through the end of the year. Arrow International, Pennsylvania makes the epidural kits. PNN did not respond to an inquiry for comment.
Vice-President of Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society stated that most of the shortages are located in western Canada and that the lack of information from Health Canada and catheter manufacturers is frustrating healthcare providers.
“If there is a global shortage, it might not make any difference. However, I believe that there are areas for improvement on the communication, supply-chain, and protocols. Dr. Lucie Filteau said The Canadian Press. “We thought it was just a few isolated pockets. But people began to notice that it was much more widespread.”
An international supplier of epidural kit in the UK declared a disruption in its supply in May due to a shortage of blue dye in tubing. Although the disruption was expected to last until July it appears to be continuing. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration has recently issued an alert warning about “temporary supply problems affecting popular brands in epidural kits overseas markets.”
When asked about the U.S. catheter shortages, a spokesperson from the American Society of Anesthesiologists said that they had “anecdotally heard of them.” To better understand the situation 1d lsd bestellen, the organization planned to survey its members. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently does not have an epidural catheter on its list.
The U.S. and Canada are well-versed in epidurals to ease pain during labor and cesarean section. The injections are able to numb the lower body and allow expectant mothers to stay awake during childbirth. As an alternative to epidurals, nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) can be used.
Epidural injections can be used to treat labor pain. However, they are not FDA-approved. The FDA warned that steroids injected into the epidural space could cause serious neurological problems such as paralysis and loss of vision.
The global shortage of contrast colors that started in April as a result of COVID-related supply chains disruptions in China seems to be decreasing. Because they allow providers to “see” where the needle is being placed, contrast dyes (also known as imaging agents) play an important role in epidural procedures. Even minor errors can cause permanent damage to your spinal cord.
Australian officials stated last week that the supply of imaging agents had improved but that normal supplies were “not likely” to resume before 2022. They encouraged providers to keep conserving contrast agents and postpone any imaging that is not urgent.
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