This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cesur, M. Articles by Yuksek, M. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cesur, M. Articles by Yuksek, M. S. Related Collections Regional Anesthesia Pharmacology

---

REGIONAL ANESTHESIA

Administration of Local Anesthetic Through the Epidural Needle Before Catheter Insertion Improves the Quality of Anesthesia and Reduces Catheter-Related Complications

Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Mehmet Cesur, Yunus Emre Mah Tomurcuk Sok, Ikizler Apt. B Blok No: 7/7, 25080 Yenisehir/Erzurum, Turkey. Address e-mail to mcesur{at}atauni.edu.tr.

Epidural catheter placement offers flexibility in block management. However, during epidural catheter insertion, complications such as paresthesia and venous and subarachnoid cannulation may occur, and suboptimal catheter placement can affect the quality of anesthesia. We performed this prospective, randomized, double-blind study to assess the effect of a single-injection dose of local anesthetic (20 mL of 2% lidocaine) through the epidural needle as a priming solution into the epidural space before catheter insertion. We randomized 240 patients into 2 equal groups and measured the quality of anesthesia and the incidence of complications. In the needle group (n = 100), catheters were inserted after injection of a full dose of local anesthetic through the needle. In the catheter group (n = 98), the catheters were inserted immediately after identification of the epidural space. Local anesthetic was then injected via the catheter. We noted the occurrence of paresthesia, inability to advance the catheter, or IV or subarachnoid catheter placement. Sensory and motor block were assessed 20 min after the injection of local anesthetic. Surgery was initiated when adequate sensory loss was confirmed. In the catheter group, the incidence of paresthesia during catheter placement was 31.6% compared with 11% in the needle group (P = 0.00038). IV catheterization occurred in 8.2% versus 2% of patients in the catheter and needle groups, respectively (P = 0.048). More patients in the needle group had excellent surgical conditions than the catheter group (89.6% versus 72.9; P < 0.003). We conclude that giving a single-injection dose via the epidural needle before catheter placement improves the quality of epidural anesthesia and reduces catheter-related complications.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Mhyre, M. L. V. H. Greenfield, L. C. Tsen, and L. S. Polley A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials That Evaluate Strategies to Avoid Epidural Vein Cannulation During Obstetric Epidural Catheter Placement Anesth. Analg., April 1, 2009; 108(4): 1232 - 1242. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Mahajan, A. Sharma, and R. Gupta A Contraindication to Using Local Anesthetic Solution for Expanding the Epidural Space Anesth. Analg., December 1, 2006; 103(6): 1585 - 1586. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Cesur, H. A. Alici, A. F. Erdem, F. Silbir, and M. S. Yuksek A Contraindication to Using Local Anesthetic Solution for Expanding the Epidural Space Anesth. Analg., December 1, 2006; 103(6): 1586 - 1586. [Full Text] [PDF]