Open Access
Higher Operating Table for Optimal Needle-Entry Angle and Less Discomfort During Spinal Anesthesia
Author(s) -
Hye Min Sohn,
Hyerim Kim,
Jung Pyo Hong,
Kyoung Min Lee,
Jinhee Kim
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.404
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/ane.0000000000002534
Subject(s) - medicine , umbilicus (mollusc) , operating table , spinal anesthesia , coronal plane , anesthesia , surgery , anatomy
The aim of this study was to find the optimal table height to facilitate insertion of the spinal needle at a 90° angle and to reduce the anesthesiologist's discomfort. Sixty patients were randomly allocated according to landmarks on the anesthesiologist's body: umbilicus (group U), lowest rib margin (R), xiphoid process (X), and nipple (N). The coronal insertion angle between the patient's skin and the spinal needle was obtuse in groups U and R, and 90° in group X. We demonstrated that high operating tables at the xiphoid and nipple level facilitate more optimal needle entry angles while reducing the discomfort and joint flexion of anesthesiologists during spinal anesthesia.