THE RELATIONSHIP OF SKIN TO EPIDURAL SPACE DEPTH WITH DIFFERENT PHYSICAL PARAMETERS IN OBSTETRIC PATIENTS: Epidural Space Depth

Fakher e Fayaz,; Amjad Iqbal; Hana Khurshid; Mohammad Tariq; Amir Nawaid; Ahmed Adnan; Ihtisham ul Haq

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v59i1.2057

Authors

Fakher e Fayaz, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta
Amjad Iqbal Combined Military Hospital, Quetta
Hana Khurshid Combined Military Hospital, Quetta
Mohammad Tariq Combined Military Hospital, Quetta
Amir Nawaid Combined Military Hospital, Quetta
Ahmed Adnan Combined Military Hospital, Quetta
Ihtisham ul Haq Combined Military Hospital, Quetta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v59i1.2057

Keywords:

Obstetric anaesthesia, epidural anaesthesia, , weight, height, age, parity and body mass index

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to find out the correlation between the skin to epidural space depth and different physical parameters like age, height, parity, weight and Body mass index in obstetric patients.
Study Design: Prospective non-probability purposive correlational study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive care, Combined Military Hospital, Quetta, over duration of one year from may 2005 to April 2006.
Patients and Methods: This was prospective correlational study and total of 100 obstetric patients belonging to ASA-I and II class were included. All patients received epidural anaesthesia with 16/18G Tuohy’s needle and an epidural catheter was passed at the level of L3-L4/L4-L5 interspace. The skin-to-epidural space depth was marked on the Tuohy’s needle with a marker and was subsequently measured with a scale.
Results: This study was conducted on parturients undergoing Caesarean section having ages between 18-40 years with mean 27.27 + SD 4.90 years, weight between 44-92 kg with mean 62.73 + SD 9.37 kg, height 142-166 cm with mean 153 + SD 5 cm, parity between primigravida to gravida 9 with mean 2.43 + SD 2.24 and body mass index of 19-38 kg/m2 with mean 27 + SD 4 kg/m2. The skin-to-epidural space depth ranging between 31 mm to 78 mm with mean of 41.59 + SD 6.49 mm was noted. Pearson correlation coefficient for the relation of skin to epidural space depth with patient’s age was r=0.317 (p=0.001), with weight was r=0.618 (p=0.0001), with height was r= -0.004 (p=0.966), with body mass index was r=0.623 (p=0.0001) and with patient’s parity was r=0.210 (p=0.028).
Conclusion: It was concluded that the skin-to-epidural space depth had statistically significant strong correlation with weight and body mass index but statistically significant weak correlation with age and parity, and statistically insignificant correlation with height.