Kathryn's story

Summary

Kathryn recalls her personal experience of temporary paralysis and respiratory arrest after residual anaesthetic drugs were not flushed from her lines and cannulae following surgery. The video supports the Patient Safety Alert 'Confirming removal or flushing of lines and cannulae after procedures' issued by NHS Improvement in November 2017.

More recently, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) have carried out an investigation looking at the risks to patients when intravenous (IV) drugs are retained in cannulae and extension lines and made a series of recommendations.