Comparison of Ultrasound Guided L5/S1 Epidural Catheter Placement With Standard Epidural Catheter Placement: A Randomized Trial

After consent patients will be randomized to one of the two groups: Control Group or the Experimental Group. Patients will be blinded to the group assignment.

In each subject prior to labor epidural placement, intravenous access will be obtained and if indicated fluid bolus will be given. There after heart and lung monitors will be placed. Procedure will be placed in sitting position. Standard epidural kit will be used.

In the Control Group the patient will be seated. Low back area will be prepped and draped in a sterile fashion. Lumbar interspaces will be identified clinically and epidural catheter will be inserted in the interspace deemed most appropriate. Epidural space will be accessed using loss of resistance to air technique. Once identified, a 20g open tip catheter will be placed can into the space.

In the Experimental Group, subjects back will be scanned with an Ultrasound probe. The interspace L5/S1, the lowest interspace in the spine will be identified and marked with the marker on the skin. Thereafter epidural catheter will be place using the exactly the same technique as used in the control group.

Once in place, catheter will be aspirated to rule out any intravascular placement. Thereafter a test dose composed of 45 mg lidocaine and 15 microgram epinephrine will be injected via the catheter to rule out any misplacement of catheter either in the intrathecal space or blood vessels. Once proper placement confirmed, catheter will be dose with 10 ml 0.25% bupivacaine in 5 ml boluses.