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Neuraxial Labor Analgesia Technique: Comparison of Intervertebral Lumbar Level Space Detection by Digital Palpation and Ultrasonography

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Intrapartum Ultrasonography for Labor Management

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Abstract

The accurate identification of an intervertebral lumbar level is essential to avoid neuraxial block-related spinal cord injury [1]. However, it has been shown that estimation of the L3/4 intervertebral lumbar level based on the intercristal line determined by digital palpation is often inaccurate [2–9]. The aim of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive review of the recent pertinent literature on neuraxial blockade in obstetric patients, focusing on accuracy (concordance rate) of manual palpation versus ultrasound for identifying the L3/4 intervertebral space level [10–27].

“Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.”

—Hippocrates

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia for Obstetrics, Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Founder and President of The Kuczkowski Foundation Global Initiative, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA

    Krzysztof Marek Kuczkowski

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  1. Krzysztof Marek Kuczkowski
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Santa Maria Hospital, GVM Care and Research, Bari, Italy

    Antonio Malvasi

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Kuczkowski, K.M. (2021). Neuraxial Labor Analgesia Technique: Comparison of Intervertebral Lumbar Level Space Detection by Digital Palpation and Ultrasonography. In: Malvasi, A. (eds) Intrapartum Ultrasonography for Labor Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57595-3_45

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57595-3_45

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-57594-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-57595-3

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