[The combined plunger pressure-manometer method. A technique for identifying the peridural space]

The modified combined plunger pressure and manometer method (KSMM = Kombinierte Stempeldruck-Manometer-Methode) has proved to be a satisfactory alternative to the loss of resistance technique of Dogliotti. The method was tested for practicability and successful identification of the epidural space in 200 patients (80 of them pregnant) by physicians at different stages of their training. It makes it easy for young anaesthetists who are still in training and have not had much experience to learn to identify the epidural space. With this method the experienced operator can make an important contribution to the training of young doctors in epidural anaesthesia without fear of risks and failures.