LUMBAR EPIDUROGRAPHY WITH MULTIORIFICE AND SINGLE ORIFICE EPIDURAL CATHETERS

The spread of iohexol in the epidural space was studied using two type s of epidural catheter. Twenty pre-menopausal women undergoing hystere ctomy received lumbar epidural analgesia via either multi-orifice or s ingle orifice catheters. Twenty-four hours after surgery, iohexol was injected before catheter removal with the patient lying supine. Wherea s there was no significant difference in the total number of vertebral segments covered by dye or the total number of segments reached above or below the level of epidural insertion, spread was more even to the right and left of midline using the single orifice catheters. Sacral spread of dye was only observed when a single orifice catheter was use d. Epidural catheter design affects the distribution of solutions in t he epidural space, with single orifice epidural catheters producing mo re even distribution of dye with sacral extension.