Where is epidural analgesia inserted?

Where is epidural analgesia inserted?

For an epidural: The doctor injects medicine just outside of the sac of fluid around your spinal cord. This is called the epidural space. The medicine numbs, or blocks, feeling in a certain part of your body so that you either feel less pain or no pain at all depending on the procedure.

At what spinal level is epidural placed?

Epidural anesthesia can be performed at any level of the vertebral column, and the choice of placement depends on the desired anesthetic level. In contrast, spinal anesthesia is usually performed below L2 to avoid injury of the spinal cord.

Where is epidural anesthesia injected lumbar?

A spinal block is sometimes used in combination with an epidural during labor to provide immediate pain relief. A spinal block, like an epidural, involves an injection in the lower back.

Where is epidural space located?

The epidural space is the area between the dura mater (a membrane) and the vertebral wall, containing fat and small blood vessels. The space is located just outside the dural sac which surrounds the nerve roots and is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Is epidural and spinal anesthesia the same?

Back to epidurals and spinals: The main difference is the placement. With an epidural, anesthesia is injected into the epidural space. With a spinal, the anesthesia is injected into the dural sac that contains cerebrospinal fluid. The direct access means that a spinal gives immediate relief.

How is an epidural placed?

An epidural involves medicine given by an anesthesiologist . A thin, tube-like catheter is inserted through the lower back into the area just outside the membrane covering the spinal cord (called the epidural space). You’ll sit or lie on your side with your back rounded while the doctor inserts the epidural catheter.

Where does epidural space start and end?

The epidural space extends from the base of the skull to the end of dural sac at S2. It is a cylindrical structure enveloping the dura. The epidural space exists between the dura and ligamentum flavum.

Is epidural space same as Extradural space?

The extradural space is a potential space inside the cranial vault and is not normally appreciable unless there is an underlying pathology 1. This is in contrast to the epidural space of the spinal cord which contains epidural fat, lymphatics, blood vessels, and nerve roots 1, 2. The two spaces are not continuous.

What is better spinal or epidural?

If you’re heading into your first birth, your medical team may opt for an epidural. Here’s why: First births can last for 12 to 18 hours. Whereas a spinal gives you pain relief for an hour or two, an epidural offers you the option of pain relief for a longer period of time.