Epidural Catheter Placement Techniques by Anesthesia Residents: Success and Complications (EPİ-TECH)

May 1, 2026 updated by: dilara gocmen, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital

Anesthesia Residents' Epidural Catheter Placement Techniques: A Prospective Observational Study on Success Rates and Complications

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the impact of epidural catheter placement techniques - loss of resistance (LOR) and hanging drop (HD) - on first-attempt success rates and procedural complications among anesthesia residents. Residents with at least two years of training will perform epidural catheterization under supervision for patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring perioperative epidural analgesia. An independent observer will record procedural details, complications, and postoperative pain scores. The study will enroll 440 patients aged 18-80 with ASA I-III classification.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Epidural catheterization is a cornerstone technique in perioperative and obstetric pain management. Two established methods are commonly used to identify the epidural space: the loss of resistance (LOR) technique, using air or normal saline, and the hanging drop (HD) technique. Although both are widely employed, comparative data on their performance by residents in training are limited. This study prospectively observes which technique the resident chooses, records procedural parameters (depth of epidural space, number of attempts, level of insertion), and documents immediate complications (dural puncture, intravascular placement, paresthesia, hypotension) and postoperative outcomes (NRS scores at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours; PDPH). Cases in which a resident is unable to complete the procedure are documented separately, including the reason for failure and subsequent management by a supervising specialist. All procedures are performed using an 18G Tuohy needle and standard catheter set. A test dose is administered to all patients following catheter placement. Data are recorded by an independent observer using a standardized data collection form.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
440

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Maltepe
      • Istanbul, Maltepe, Turkey (Türkiye), 34852
        • Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult patients scheduled for elective/emergency surgery with planned perioperative epidural analgesia or anesthesia at Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-80 years
  • ASA physical status I, II, or III
  • Scheduled for elective surgery requiring perioperative epidural analgesia or anesthesia (lumbar or thoracic approach)
  • Epidural catheter to be placed by a resident with ≥ 2 years of anesthesia training

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Spinal deformity (scoliosis, kyphosis, or prior spinal surgery at the target level)
  • Coagulopathy or anticoagulant therapy precluding neuraxial blockade
  • Active infection at the insertion site or systemic infection
  • Pre-existing neurological disease affecting the spinal cord or nerve roots
  • Emergency surgery
  • History of prior failed epidural catheterization
  • Patient refusal or inability to provide written informed consent
  • Local anatomical pathology precluding safe epidural access

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Loss of Resistance (LOR) Group
Patients in whom the epidural space is identified using the loss of resistance technique. The attending resident uses a syringe filled with air or normal saline attached to the Tuohy needle hub and advances until resistance disappears upon entering the epidural space.
Procedure: epidural catheter placement
Epidural catheterization performed using an 18G Tuohy needle and standard catheter set by anesthesia residents with a minimum of two years of training, under specialist supervision. Technique selection (LOR or HD) is at the discretion of the performing resident and is not randomized.
Other Names:
  • neuroaxial blockade
Hanging Drop (HD) Group
Patients in whom the epidural space is identified using the hanging drop technique. A drop of normal saline is placed at the Tuohy needle hub and observed to be aspirated inward by the negative epidural pressure as the needle tip traverses the ligamentum flavum.
Procedure: epidural catheter placement
Epidural catheterization performed using an 18G Tuohy needle and standard catheter set by anesthesia residents with a minimum of two years of training, under specialist supervision. Technique selection (LOR or HD) is at the discretion of the performing resident and is not randomized.
Other Names:
  • neuroaxial blockade

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
First-attempt success rate
Time Frame: Time Frame: Immediately upon procedure completion
Defined as successful epidural space identification and catheter placement in a single Tuohy needle insertion attempt, without redirecting the needle.
Time Frame: Immediately upon procedure completion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dural puncture rate
Time Frame: Intraoperative
Inadvertent dural puncture defined as free flow of cerebrospinal fluid through the Tuohy needle or epidural catheter, confirmed by visual inspection. Recorded as yes/no by the independent observer at the time of the procedure
Intraoperative
Catheter Advancement Failure Rate
Time Frame: intraoperative
Inability to thread the epidural catheter beyond 3 cm into the epidural space despite confirmed needle placement, necessitating needle repositioning or procedure abandonment. Recorded as yes/no by the independent observer.
intraoperative
Operator-Assessed Difficulty Score
Time Frame: Immediately after procedure completion
The performing resident rates the overall technical difficulty of the procedure immediately upon completion using a 5-point Likert scale: 1 = very easy, 2 = easy, 3 = moderate, 4 = difficult, 5 = very difficult. Recorded on the standardized data collection form
Immediately after procedure completion
Intravascular catheter placement rate
Time Frame: intraoperative
Unintentional intravascular placement defined as aspiration of blood through the epidural catheter prior to test dose administration. Recorded as yes/no by the independent observer immediately following catheter advancement
intraoperative
Postoperative Pain Scores
Time Frame: 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively
Pain intensity assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst imaginable pain. Recorded at four time points: immediately upon arrival to the recovery unit (0 hours), and at 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively by the independent observer.
0, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively
Rate and Type of Assistance Required During Catheter Placement
Time Frame: Intraoperative
The level of assistance received by the performing resident is recorded in three categories: (1) No assistance - procedure completed independently; (2) Verbal guidance only - supervising specialist provides verbal instructions without physical intervention; (3) Physical assistance - supervising specialist takes over needle or catheter manipulation partially or completely. Recorded by the independent observer at the time of the procedure.
Intraoperative
First-Attempt Success Rate Stratified by Resident Seniority Level
Time Frame: Intraoperative
First-attempt success rates are compared across three seniority strata defined by duration of anesthesia training: junior residents (2-3 years), intermediate residents (3-4 years), and senior residents (4 years and above). Seniority is determined by the total duration of anesthesia specialty training at the time of the procedure.
Intraoperative

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

  • 1. Hoffmann VL, Vercauteren MP, Vreugde JP, Hans GH, Coppejans HC, Adriaensen HA. Posterior epidural space depth: safety of the loss of resistance and hanging drop techniques. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 1999;83(5):807-811. 2. Günaydın B, Tan A, Doğru O, Mutlu M, Öztürk G, Güler HG. Comparison of spring-loaded, loss of resistance and hanging drop techniques in lumbar epidural blocks. Agri. 2012;24(1):13-18. 3. Azizov S, Okcu M, Goksu H. Could the Hanging Drop Technique Be an Alternative Method to Loss of Resistance in Cervical Epidural Injections? Pain Physician. 2025;28:217-221. 4. Tran DQH, González AP, Bernucci F, Finlayson RJ. Confirmation of Loss-of-Resistance for Epidural Analgesia. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. 2015;40(2):166-173. 5. Yoshida K, Tanaka S, Watanabe K. Hanging-Drop Technique Is More Suitable for Epidural Space Confirmation in Patients With Subcutaneous Emphysema After Traumatic Multiple Rib Fractures. Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. 2023;37(12). 6. Konrad C, Schüpfer G, Wietlisbach M, Gerber H. Learning manual skills in anesthesiology: Is there a recommended number of cases for anesthetic procedures? Anesthesia & Analgesia. 1998;86(3):635-639. 7. De Oliveira GS, Glassenberg R, Chang R, Fitzgerald P, McCarthy R. Virtual airway simulation to improve dexterity among novices performing fibreoptic intubation. Anaesthesia. 2013;68(10):1053-1058. 8. Kopacz DJ, Neal JM, Pollock JE. The regional anesthesia learning curve. Regional Anesthesia. 1996;21(3):182-190. 9. Naik VN, Devito I, Halpern SH. Cusum analysis is a useful tool to assess resident proficiency at epidural anesthesia. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia. 2004;51(7):703-708.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 1, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 1, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 1, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • mü anesthesia

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Postoperative Pain

Clinical Trials on epidural catheter placement

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings