Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Oct 2020)

Ultrasonography for lumbar neuraxial block

  • Seokha Yoo,
  • Youngwon Kim,
  • Sun-Kyung Park,
  • Sang-Hwan Ji,
  • Jin-Tae Kim

DOI
https://doi.org/10.17085/apm.20065
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 4
pp. 397 – 408

Abstract

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Ultrasonography can be useful to perform a lumbar neuraxial block. It aids in understanding the anatomy of the lumbar spine before the procedure. Pre-procedural ultrasound imaging provides information about the accurate intervertebral level for puncture, optimal needle insertion point, and depth of needle advancement for a successful neuraxial block. The key ultrasonographic views for lumbar neuraxial block include the transverse midline interlaminar and parasagittal oblique views. Ultrasonography can facilitate lumbar neuraxial block in difficult cases, such as the elderly, obese patients, and patients with anatomical abnormality of the lumbar spine. This review elucidates the basics of spinal ultrasonography for lumbar neuraxial block and the current evidence regarding ultrasound-guided neuraxial block in adults.

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