Kinking of an epidural catheter is a rare complication associated with the catheter material, diameter, design and length of introduction inside the epidural space. Flushing test should be attempted before fixation of the catheter on the skin to ensure its normal function. If a kink located distal to the skin is suspected, a slight withdrawal could relieve the obstruction, but usually the complete withdrawal and new catheter placement is needed.

Anesthetic recovery can be a critical period since neurocognitive problems such as agitation and delirium are often seen during the early recovery phase. We recently demonstrated that an α2-adrenergic agonist dexmedetomidine-induced unconsciousness and accompanying brain dynamics changes were completely and instantly reversed by the α2-adrenergic antagonist in the nonhuman primate model.