What is an epidural needle?

Epidural needle is a needle used in non -surgical procedure for injection of anesthetics and/or drugs into the epidural space of the spine. This space is between the vertebrae - the bones of the backbone column - and the dura mater, the thick membrane covering the spinal cord. It is similar to a hypodermic needle in having a Hallow core; Although the hypodermic needle has a straight, sharply punctured tip, the epidural needle has a tip that is curved, dull and slightly crushed. While each needle type can be attached to a plastic or glass syringe with volume marks in cubic centimeters (CC), the epidural needle has a length of lengths every 0.40 inches (1 cm) on the needles itself to clearly show its penetration depth. The size of the epidural needle is determined by the diameter of the lumen or the inner tube. The size of the meter is marked in the inverse relationship, with larger measuring numbers indicating smaller needle diameters.

Injection served ePidural needles are called "epidurals" or "backbone blocks". They are most often administered for pain relief during labor or back pain in general. When administered back pain, steroid such as cortisone can be added to the anesthetic to reduce inflammation and pain. Pain control is produced when the drug reaches the nerve roots in the epidural space and blocks them with a dispersed anesthetic.

Placing the epidural injection requires that the skill and knowledge of the spine anatomy achieve the necessary place of injection without damaging the spinal cord. For example, each level of the vertebra has a few nerve roots and every nerve root leaves on the opposite sides of the spine through a bony opening called foramen. It is essential that the epidural needle enters through the forage next to the nerve root to be anesthetic without randomly penetrating the backbone, which can cause serious complications.

fluoroscopy, a form of X -ray, is commonly used to help a radiologist or other medical specialist in the epidural managementHlly during the injection. This helps to identify the epidural parts and avoid serious complications that may result from piercing the spinal cord membranes. Fluoroscopy can also help to determine whether the epidural space is "segmented", for example by the development of fibrous belts associated with aging, which can make epidural injections difficult without the help of this visualization device.