Abstract
Location of the epidural space in epidural anaesthesia usually involves the measurement of loss of resistance using glass or plastic syringes. In the present study two varieties of glass syringe and one plastic type were evaluated to determine the resistive forces associated with plunger movement. The mean static (fs) and dynamic (fd) forces for polished glass syringes having a ground plunger only were fs = 0.47 × 10−3 ± 0.22 × 10−3 N and fd=0.37 × 10−3 ± 0.19 × 10−3 N and for polished glass syringes having a ground barrel and plunger were fs = 0.43 × 10−3 ± 0.16 × 10−3 N and fd = 0.38 × 10−3 ± 0.I5 × 10−3 N. Each of these values was significantly lower (P < 0.5) than those for plastic syringes fs = 2.22 × 10−3 ± 0.48 × 10−3 N and fd = 1.46 × 10−3 ± 0.37 × 10−3 N. It is concluded that glass syringes are favoured over plastic for locating the epidural space because frictional forces developed with glass syringes were significantly lower than with plastic.
Résumé
Afin de trouver l’espace épidural on a recours habituellement à la perte de résistance dans les seringues de verre ou de plastique. Dans cette étude, on a évalué deux variétés de seringues de verre et un type de seringue en plastique, afin de déterminer les forces de résistance associées au mouvement du piston. Les forces moyennes statiques (fs) et dynamiques (fd) pour les seringues de verre poli ayant un plongeur dépoli était de fs = 0,47 × 10−3 ± 0,22 × 10−3 N etfd = 0,37 × 10−3 ± 0,19 × 10−3 N alors que pour les seringues de verre poli ayant un barillet et un piston dépoli était de fs = 0,43 × 10−3 ± 0.16 ± 10−3 N et fd = 0,38 × 10−3 ± 0,15 × 10−3 N. Chacune de ces valeurs étaient significativement plus basses (P < 0.05) de celles des seringues en plastiques fs = 2,22 × 10−3 ± 0,48 × 10−3 N et fd = 1,46 × 10−3 ± 0,37 × 10−3 N. On conclut que les seringues de verre sont meilleures que celles en plastique pour localiser l’espace épidural.
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References
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Butler, B.D., Warters, R.D., Elk, J.R. et al. Loss of resistance technique for locating the epidural space: evaluation of glass and plastic syringes. Can J Anaesth 37, 438–439 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03005622
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03005622