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The Use of Contrast in Caudal Epidural Injections under Image Intensifier Guidance: Is It Necessary?
Kamil Naidoo1, Sulaiman Alazzawi1, Alexander Montgomery1
1Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Royal London Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Background:
We investigated the value of using contrast as an additional aid to confirm the accuracy of needle placement for caudal epidural injections under intraoperative image intensifier guidance.
Methods:
A total of 252 consecutive patients were included in this study. Their mean age was 46.7 years (range, 32 to 76 years). There were 133 males (53%) and 119 females (47%) over a 12-month period.
Results:
Of the 252 consecutive procedures, the contrast enhanced image intensifier confirmed accurate needle placement on first attempt in 252 cases (100%). Needle resiting following the infiltration of contrast was required in 0 case.
Conclusions:
The results from this study demonstrate that a surgeon beyond the learning curve can accurately place caudal epidural injections using image intensification only, without the use of contrast.
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