title: A comparison of different methods of lubrication of glass syringes used to identify the epidural space.
abstract: Measurement of loss of resistance in glass syringes is a method widely used to locate the epidural space in epidural anaesthesia. Static and dynamic forces were measured under four experimental conditions in new glass syringes: unpolished, dry; polished, dry; unpolished, saline lubricated; and polished, saline lubricated. The unpolished saline lubricated syringes had a mean (SD) static force of 53.18 (15.0) g and dynamic force of 40.88 (15.2) g. These values were significantly greater than for polished dry syringes where the values were 5.27 (2.1) g and 4.38 (0.94) g, respectively. The results show that the least amount of resistance to plunger movement is obtained by dry polishing glass syringes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Leiman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salzarulo
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Warters
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000502:physiology; D008153:Lubrication; D013594:Syringes