Straight advancement of epidural catheter--comparative assessments by method and site of epidural needle puncture and angle of puncture.
The catheter straight advancement rate for introduction into the epidural space was investigated using a radiopaque catheter. One hundred patients were divided into two groups and underwent thoracic or lumbar epidural punctures, with one of two different puncture methods: the median approach or paramedian approach. Two different angles of epidural puncture needle insertion, 50-60 degrees and 90 degrees to skin surface plane, were used. A catheter was inserted into the epidural space about 5 cm cephalad and the course of the inserted catheter was ascertained by radiography. The results have shown that punctures performed at an insertion angle of 50-60 degrees yielded higher catheter straight advancement rates than those performed at an angle of 90 degrees in both thoracic and lumbar epidural punctures.
Takeyama
Kazuhide
K
Department of Anesthesiology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan. takeyama@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
Yamazaki
Hajime
H
Maeda
Miho
M
Tomino
Kyoko
K
Suzuki
Toshiyasu
T
D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000295:instrumentation; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D011859:Radiography; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae