Effectiveness of VibraTip™ as a Tool to Assess Vibration as Compared to Pinprick Sensation to Determine the Level of...

Accurate assessment of sensory blockade is crucial in neuraxial anesthesia. The pinprick method is widely used for this purpose, but it can cause discomfort and lacks uniformity. VibraTip™, a non-invasive device, offers a potentially safer and more comfortable alternative. The study aims to check the effectiveness of VibraTip™ compared to pinprick for assessing sensory block level post-epidural anesthesia.

This prospective study enrolled 100 patients of 18-60 years with American Society of Anesthesiologist Physical Status I-II undergoing infraumbilical surgeries under epidural anesthesia. Dermatomal level of vibration loss via VibraTip TM and loss of pain via pinprick methods were tested bilaterally at 5, 10, 15, and 20 min after epidural anesthesia. Patient satisfaction score for both the methods was evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale.

Positive correlations were found between both methods with Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.621, 0.452, 0.462 and 0.695 at 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, and 20 min, respectively. Concordance correlation coefficients remained poor at all time points, indicating limited agreement between both the methods. Dermatomal levels assessed using VibraTip™ were 2-4 spinal segments lower than those identified through pinprick testing. Patient satisfaction score was significantly higher with VibraTip™ ( P < 0.001).

VibraTip TM was equally effective in determining the level of sensory blockade like pinprick method. However, there is limited agreement between both in terms of exact dermatomal correlation to determine the level of anesthesia for surgery. Hence, it can be considered as an adjunct rather than a replacement.