Woman With Chronic Back Pain Finds Epidural Needle In Spine 14 Years After Childbirth

A mum who has had severe back pain for 14 years has discovered part of an epidural needle lodged in her spine, with 2 of its centimeters directly “buried into the bone.”

41-year-old Amy Bright gave birth to her sixth and youngest son Jacob by cesarean section at a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2003 and 2 months later she started having chronic heart pain that continued for 14 years. She says she’s suffered nerve damage along with back pain, making it progressively more difficult for her to use her left leg and foot.

This didn’t stop until a CT scan last revealed a 3cm-long chunk of needle was buried in her spine. According to PEOPLE,the needle had allegedly broken off when she was given an epidural 14 years earlier and had caused extensive nerve damage leaving her with limited use of her left leg and foot.

“I was absolutely livid and upset and scared,” Bright told PEOPLE. “Every time I move and walk and bend and twist and sleep, that needle moves inside my spine. For 14 years, I’ve been creating scar tissue in my spine from this needle moving. I’m angry.”

Bright and her attorney, Sean Cronin are accusing the hospital staff of fraud and malpractice, claiming they knew that a piece of the needle remained in Bright’s body — and did nothing about it.

Removing the needle now could leave her permanently paralyzed, but leaving it in will likely have the same consequence.