Ultrasound-assisted Versus Conventional Landmark-guided Spinal Anesthesia in Patients With Abnormal Spinal Anatomy

Ultrasound-assisted Versus Conventional Landmark-guided Spinal Anesthesia in Patients With Abnormal Spinal Anatomy

Spinal anesthesia can be challenging in patients with lumbar scoliosis or previous lumbar spine surgery. This study aims to evaluate whether the use of the ultrasound-assisted spinal anesthesia reduces the number of passes required to successful dural puncture compared with the conventional surface landmark-guided technique in patients with abnormal spinal anatomy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patients scheduled to undergoing elective orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia,

• with ASA physical status classification I, II, III,

• and with (1) or (2)

  1. documented scoliosis in preoperative L-S-Spine X-ray (Cobb abgle > 10 degree)
  2. previous history of lumbar spinal surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with contraindication to spinal anesthesia (coagulopathy, local infection, allergy to local anesthetic)
• Patients with morbid cardiac diseases
• Pregnancy