Key result
The 18-gauge radio-opaque catheter severed at a significantly lower applied force and stretched significantly less before breaking compared to the 18-gauge clear or 16-gauge catheters.
Why the study?
Does the type of epidural catheter (18-gauge radio-opaque vs others) affect the force required to sever it on the needle bevel?
Does the type of epidural catheter (18-gauge radio-opaque vs others) affect the force required to sever it on the needle bevel?
The 18-gauge radio-opaque epidural catheter is more prone to severing than clear or 16-gauge alternatives, suggesting the latter may be safer choices.
May favor non-opaque or 16-gauge catheters to limit severance risk; leaves open human translation from this animal model.
Four groups of Portex Minipack epidural sets were tested to measure the force required to sever the catheter on the needle bevel. The 18-gauge radio-opaque catheter was found to sever at a significantly lower applied force and to stretch significantly less before breaking than the 18-gauge clear catheter or either of the 16-gauge catheters. The other catheters tested had breaking strains of between 10-20 Newtons (1-2 kg force) and stretched by more than 30% of their lengths before breaking. It is suggested that these other catheters may therefore be a preferable alternative to the 18-gauge radio-opaque.
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G. Hutchison (1987) studied this question. 18-gauge radio-opaque catheter vs. 18-gauge clear catheter or 16-gauge catheters was evaluated on Force required to sever the catheter on the needle bevel and stretch before breaking. The 18-gauge radio-opaque catheter severed at a significantly lower applied force and stretched significantly less before breaking compared to the 18-gauge clear or 16-gauge catheters.
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