An Improvement in Catheter Technic for Continuous Caudal Anesthesia

Abstract

Recently Adams and Lundy 1 described the catheter technic for continuous caudal anesthesia. The method they described involved the use of a 13 gage Love-Barker spinal needle and a number 5 ureteral catheter. We 2 have used this method in over 250 obstetric cases without any serious complications. There are, however, some objections: 1. The caliber of the needle is such that it is difficult to insert it into the caudal canal. 2. If there is difficulty in locating the caudal foramen and it becomes necessary to reinsert the needle, considerable trauma ensues. As a result, patients complain of soreness at the site of insertion during the first few days post partum. Recently we have overcome this difficulty and simplified the technic considerably by employing a 15 gage needle with obturator and a number 4 ureteral catheter. It is much easier to insert a small caliber needle into the caudal