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NCT Number: NCT06055686

The Use of Electrical Stimulation for Determination of Epidural Catheter Placement

The aim of this study is to address the problem of epidural failure. The investigators theorize epidural failure can be due to inappropriate catheter movement and this may be related to the length of which the epidural catheter is inserted. The investigators will use electrical stimulation to determine if the catheter moved in the sacral direction with insertion.

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Key information

Conditions

Obstetric Pain Anesthesia, Local Labor Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

About this study

The research participants will be pregnant women in Labor and Delivery ward of Stanford University hospital who request an epidural for labor analgesia.

In this study the patients will receive an epidural catheter in the same way as standard of care. The catheter will be inserted to 20cm and then electrically stimulated to document where it is placed by looking at the muscles effected. The catheter is then pulled back in 5cm increments and stimulated until the standard distance is achieved. For example, if loss of resistance happened at 5cm, the catheter would be inserted to 20cm, stimulated, pulled back to 15cm and stimulated, and finally to 10cm and stimulated.

Electrical stimulation of epidural catheters for confirmation of placement is a published and accepted technique. In this study, the investigators will perform electrical stimulation at incremental points during catheter pull back with documentation of where stimulation was seen.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Pregnant female requesting epidural for labor analgesia.
  • Must meet standard inclusion criteria for safe epidural placement.
  • Platelet count over 70,000, INR under 1.3.

Exclusion criteria

  • Unable to safely place epidural catheter due to commonly accepted patient factors.

Treatment and study plan

Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test

Diagnostic Test

Electrical stimulation test measures sensory/motor responses

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence rate of sacral stimulation

    Time frame: 1 year

    Electrical stimulation will be performed at incremental points during catheter pull back with documentation of where stimulation was seen.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ksenia Kasimova, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

6507889458

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Stanford University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 28, 2023
Registry last updated
May 1, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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