Related Experiment Videos
Injection pressures by anesthesiologists during simulated peripheral nerve block.
Richard Claudio1, Admir Hadzic, Henry Shih
1Department of Anesthesiology, Travers 702, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, 1111 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025, USA.
Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
|May 13, 2004
Summary
Anesthesiologists
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Medical Devices
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) rely on subjective "syringe feel" to detect abnormal injection resistance.
- Increased injection force is thought to indicate intraneural injection, a complication.
- Current methods lack objective measurement of injection force during PNB.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate variability in anesthesiologists' perception of normal injection force during PNB.
- To assess the consistency of the "syringe feel" method in estimating injection resistance.
- To determine the impact of needle design on injection force during PNB.
Main Methods:
- Thirty anesthesiologists performed simulated PNB injections using standard equipment.
- Injection force was objectively measured using an in-line manometer and computer system.
- Injection forces were analyzed with different needle sizes and from various manufacturers.
Main Results:
- All participants perceived increased resistance with minor pressure changes.
- A significant percentage of anesthesiologists exceeded 20-30 psi during injection initiation.
- Injection pressures varied up to 20-fold for needles of the same gauge/length from different manufacturers.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability exists in anesthesiologists' perceived injection force and rate during PNB.
- The subjective "syringe feel" method is inconsistent for assessing injection force.
- Needle design significantly influences injection force, impacting PNB safety.