Examination of The Relationshıp Between Body Mass Index And The Skin-Epidural Space Distance

Examination of the Relationship Between Body Mass Index and the Skin-epidural Space Distance Measured by Ultrasound in the Lumbar Region

Aim: The aim of the study; to investigate whether there is a relationship between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and the skin-epidural space distance measured by USG.

The research was carried out in the block room in the preoperating room of Dokuz Eylül University Practice and Research Hospital and with 42 volunteer operating room workers aged between 18-59 years. Height, weight and waist circumference measurements were made with standard measuring instruments, and other measurements were completed by ultrasonography (USG) separately by an anesthesiologist and a radiologist. For ultrasonographic evaluation, left lateral decubitus, right lateral decubitus and in sitting position, skin-dural junction, skin-vertebra corpus, anterior complex distances, upper and lower SIAS levels were examined with convex probe as transverse median. In addition, abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness measurements were made with a linear probe in the supine position. The statistical correlations of all measurements were examined.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age between 18 and 59 years old.
2. ASA I-II classification.
3. Body Mass Index (BMI): 18.5-29.9 kg/m2.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Individuals under 18 or over 59 years old.
2. Those with a history of vertebral surgery.
3. Patients diagnosed with spinal deformities (excluding scoliosis ≤10 degrees, kyphosis <30 or >80 degrees).
4. Individuals with rheumatologic diseases affecting skeletal structure such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Presence of wounds or infections in the lumbar region.
6. Volunteers who underwent epidural or spinal interventions in the lumbar region within the last month.
7. Individuals with bone implants affecting posture, such as hip or knee prostheses.
8. Pregnant women.
9. Individuals with conditions like Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, acromegaly causing lumbar edema.
10. Volunteers using corticosteroids.
11. Obese individuals (BMI: >29.9).