Air or Saline? Unlocking the Best Approach for Loss-of-Resistance During Epidural Space Access

( Anesth Analg . 2025;141:100-102. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000007484) Epidural procedures in adults are commonly performed in 2 distinct clinical contexts: for managing chronic back pain using corticosteroid injections and for pain relief during labor or surgery through epidural catheter placement. Each year, over 9 million epidural steroid injections are administered in the United States. Labor epidural analgesia is widely accepted as the preferred method of pain management during childbirth, with around 30% of laboring women in the UK and over 70% in the United States opting for this approach.