Towards a realistic in vitro experience of epidural Tuohy needle insertion

The amount of pressure exerted on the syringe and the depth of needle insertion are the two key factors for successfully carrying out epidural procedure. The force feedback from the syringe plunger is helpful in judging the loss of pressure, and the depth of the needle insertion is crucial in identifying when the needle is precisely placed in the epidural space. This article presents the development of two novel wireless devices to measure these parameters to precisely guide the needle placement in the epidural space. These techniques can be directly used on patients or implemented in a simulator for improving the safety of procedure. A pilot trial has been conducted to collect depth and pressure data with the devices on a porcine cadaver. These measurements are then combined to accurately configure a haptic device for creating a realistic in vitro experience of epidural needle insertion.