Ultrasonographic and Comfort Comparison of Sitting Fetal Cross-legged Position With Lateral Decubitus Fetal Position

Ultrasonographic and Comfort Comparison of Sitting Fetal Cross-legged Position With Lateral Decubitus Fetal Position on Healthy Volunteers; a Randomized, Consecutive-controlled Clinical Trial

A prosperous neuraxial anesthesia positioning ensures a raised chance of successful needle placement. The primary aim is to compare "Sitting Cross-legged Fetal Position -SCF" with "Lateral Decubitus Fetal Position-LDF" anatomically via sonography.

Secondary aim is to compare their comfort.

Fifty participants were included to this prospective, randomized, consecutive controlled clinical study. Six parameters were evaluated in each position; subcutaneous tissue (ST), skin to spinous process (S-SP), transverse diameters of bilateral paraspinal muscles (left paraspinal muscle [LPM] and right paraspinal muscle [RPM]), interspinous gap opening (ISGO), mean of bilateral paraspinal muscles (MPM). The change of every measurement recorded via ultrasonography (USG) according to the positioning techniques were also calculated. The calculations are explained briefly in primary outcomes (including the change of SCF-LDF in ST, S-SP, LPM, RPM, MPM, ISGO). Stretcher comfort (SC), position comfort (PC), lumbar comfort (LC), and abdominal comfort (AC) were evaluated by the participants with the 7-point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS).

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy and adult volunteers,
• must be able to do the sitting cross-legged fetal position ( SCF ),
• must be able to do the Lateral decubitus fetal position (LDF).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Lumbar hernia,
• Scoliosis,
• History of spine surgery,
• History of trauma,
• History of lower back pain,
• Arthropathy {especially pelvic or knee problems},
• Could not be able to do one or both of the two neuraxial position techniques.