title: The use of a nerve stimulation test to confirm sacrococcygeal epidural needle placement in cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if a nerve stimulation test (NST) could act as a monitoring technique to confirm sacrococcygeal epidural needle placement in cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective experimental trial in a clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four adult cats, scheduled for a therapeutic procedure where epidural anesthesia was indicated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Under general anesthesia, an insulated needle was inserted through the S3 -Cd1 intervertebral space guided by the application of a fixed electrical current (0.7 mA) until a motor response was obtained. The NST was considered positive when the epidural nerve stimulation produced a motor response of the muscles of the tail, whereas it was considered negative when no motor response was evoked. In the NST positive cases, 0.3 mL kg(-1) of 0.5% bupivacaine was administrated before needle withdrawal. Ten minutes after injection, epidural blockade was confirmed by the loss of perineal (anal), and pelvic limbs reflexes (patellar and withdrawal).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of a fixed electrical stimulation current of 0.7 mA resulted in correct prediction of sacrococcygeal epidural injection, corroborated by post bupivacaine loss of perineal and pelvic limb reflexes, in 95.8% of the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the feasibility of using, in a clinical setting, an electrical stimulation test as an objective and in real-time method to confirm sacrococcygeal epidural needle placement in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Buenos, Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: Natali
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verdier
authors.forename: Andrea S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Zaccagnini
authors.forename: Santiago E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Fuensalida
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tarragona
authors.forename: Diego A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Portela
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007268:Injections, Epidural / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: cat; epidural; nerve stimulation; sacrococcygeal