NCT06055686

The Use of Electrical Stimulation for Determination of Epidural Catheter Placement

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Stanford University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to address the problem of epidural failure. The investigators theorize epidural failure can be due to inappropriate catheter movement and this may be related to the length of which the epidural catheter is inserted. The investigators will use electrical stimulation to determine if the catheter moved in the sacral direction with insertion.

Detailed description

The research participants will be pregnant women in Labor and Delivery ward of Stanford University hospital who request an epidural for labor analgesia. In this study the patients will receive an epidural catheter in the same way as standard of care. The catheter will be inserted to 20cm and then electrically stimulated to document where it is placed by looking at the muscles effected. The catheter is then pulled back in 5cm increments and stimulated until the standard distance is achieved. For example, if loss of resistance happened at 5cm, the catheter would be inserted to 20cm, stimulated, pulled back to 15cm and stimulated, and finally to 10cm and stimulated. Electrical stimulation of epidural catheters for confirmation of placement is a published and accepted technique. In this study, the investigators will perform electrical stimulation at incremental points during catheter pull back with documentation of where stimulation was seen.

Conditions

• Obstetric Pain
• Anesthesia, Local

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test	Electrical stimulation test measures sensory/motor responses

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-11-01
• Primary completion: 2026-11-01
• Completion: 2026-11-01
• First posted: 2023-09-28
• Last updated: 2025-05-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study