The prepuncture 3D ultrasound scanning of the spinal cord facilitates epidural needle placement.
To ensure the safety of guests, Al-Ahli Hospital has introduced a new and advanced technology to facilitate the epidural anesthesia needle placement for pregnant women.
Arguably, Al-Ahli Hospital is the first healthcare facility in the country to introduce prepuncture 3D ultrasound scanning of the spinal cord to facilitate epidural needle placement, said Head of Anesthesia Department at Al-Ahli Hospital, Dr. Mohamed Abdul Karim Al Hashimy.
“Prepuncture 3D ultrasound scanning of the vertebral column has been introduced as a reliable tool to localize the target and facilitate epidural needle placement. Ideally, a real-time ultrasound will be used during needle insertion,” he told The Peninsula.
“This technology is proven to be very safe, effective and cost effective,” he added.
Dr. Mohamed Abdul Karim Al Hashimy
Epidural anesthesia creates a band of numbness from your bellybutton to upper legs of women giving child birth.
“The blind placement of an epidural needle is among the most difficult regional anesthetic techniques. The challenge is to insert the needle in the mid-sagittal plane and to avoid overshooting of the needle into a wrong direction or places. With the 3D ultrasound scanning of the vertebral column we can spot the point to place the needle correctly,” said Dr. Al Hashimy.
An epidural is a procedure that injects a local anaesthetic in to the space around the spinal nerves in lower back. This anaesthetic usually blocks the pain from labour contractions and during the birth very effectively.
A real-time 3D ultrasound thick slice rendering technique and innovative Epiguide needle-guide functions as an adjunct to single-operator midline epidural needle insertions.
The ‘Blind approach’ is the current standard of care in administering epidural anesthesia. The physician palpates the patient’s spinal bony landmarks; the needle is placed in relation to identified landmarks and inserted until loss of resistance is felt.
It is feasible to perform 3D ultrasound-guided real-time single-operator midline epidural insertions, in a porcine model. Echogenic needles were found to consistently improve needle visibility; and improved needle visibility tended to increase successful entry into epidural space.
Antenatal care at Al-Ahi Hospital is led by western trained consultant physicians and supported by a team of nurses and midwives. The hospital has six labour rooms with advanced facilities and provides guest centered care.
“The labour rooms are fully equipped with advanced technology and we provide the best available services to our guests. We care every guest individually,” said Dr. Al Hashimy.
He also said that guests have expressed satisfaction about epidural administration and pain management services provided Al-Ahi Hospital.
“Administration of epidural is available at Al-Ahi Hospital since 2005 and we haven’t received any complaints from the guests. A very experienced and qualified team is responsible for giving epidurals safely,” said Dr. Al Hashimy.
