Ultrasound Versus Palpation for Epidural Catheterization

Mansoura University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Epidural Anesthesia; Spinal Ultrasound

Treatments: Procedure: Double-space combined spinal-epidural anesthesia; Radiation: Sham ultrasound procedure; Radiation: Preprocedure spinal ultrasound

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02410226

R115

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study will assess the benefit of using spinal ultrasound before epidural catheter insertion compared to the conventional palpation technique in women undergoing cesarean section.

Full description

The study will compare the ultrasound-assisted and the conventional palpation techniques for epidural catheterization as a component of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for cesarean section.

Participants will be randomly assigned into 2 equal groups. In the ultrasound group: Preprocedure lumbar spinal ultrasound will be performed before epidural catheterization. In the palpation group: Conventional technique of landmark palpation will be used.

Enrollment: 110 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 19 to 40 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• American Society of Anesthesiologists class I or II.
• Full term parturients scheduled for elective cesarean delivery under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.

Exclusion criteria

• Body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m2.
• Patients having any contraindication to neuraxial anesthesia (Refusal of the procedure, Coagulopathy, Uncorrected hypovolemia, Increased intracranial pressure, Local skin infection).
• Marked spinal deformity or previous spinal surgery.
• Unpalpable anatomical landmarks.
• Emergent situations.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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110 participants in 2 patient groups

Palpation

Active Comparator group

Description:

Double-space combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, Sham ultrasound procedure

Treatment:

Radiation: Sham ultrasound procedure

Procedure: Double-space combined spinal-epidural anesthesia

Ultrasound

Experimental group

Description:

Double-space combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, Preprocedure spinal ultrasound

Treatment:

Radiation: Preprocedure spinal ultrasound

Procedure: Double-space combined spinal-epidural anesthesia