Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Spinal Sonography for Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Neuraxial Anesthesia
Published on: January 31, 2025
Improving needle visualization by novice residents during an in-plane ultrasound nerve block simulation using an
Rajnish K Gupta1, Jason Lane, Brian Allen
1Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Objective:
Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia with in-plane needle approaches can be challenging due to difficult needle visualization. We hypothesized that an in-plane, multiangle needle guide can help reduce the time it takes novice regional anesthesiologists to perform a simulated ultrasound-guided nerve-targeting procedure and enhance the visualization of the needle.
Design:
Crossover simulation study.
Setting:
Simulation environment at an academic institution.
Subjects:
Volunteer trainees in their postgraduate years 1 and 2.
Methods:
Sixteen subjects were randomized to repeat a single nerve targeting simulation task four times with and four times without a needle guide. End points were time to complete the nerve targeting, needle visualization, number of passes, and needle approximation to the target.
Results:
The needle guide reduced median time to complete the task by 27% (95% confidence interval: 4-44%) and increased the odds of an acceptable needle visualization by 355% (95% confidence interval: 171-737%). A learning benefit for the time outcome was also noted, with multiple attempts regardless of whether the needle guide was used or not.
Conclusions:
A needle guide can help reduce the time needed to complete a simulated nerve targeting procedure and enhance needle visualization for the novice sonographer in a phantom gel simulation. There was no significant reduction in the number of needle passes or in improvement of target approximation noted.
