Minor Factors Influencint to the Sensory Blockade Level of Spinal Anesthesia at the L2, 3 Interspace

Lee, Tae Hyun; Roh, Woon Seok; Kim, Bong Il; Park, Jin Woong

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many factors affecting the spread of spinal anesthesia have been investigated. But L3-4 or L4-5 interspace was choosen which was known as the site of buffering, in their study. We investigated the effect of some of these factors on sensory blockade level by using L2-3 interspace.
METHODS
Eightyfive patients, ASA physical status I - Il, were involved in our study. Sensory blockade level was checked with pinprick test at 10 minutes and 30 minutes. The effect of age, sex, height, weight, CSF pressure and pressure difference generated when full flexed and non-full flexed lateral position on sensory blockade level was studied whereas other factors such as puncture technique, dosage and concentration of drug and patients position after injection, were kept constant under the same condition. And also studied the effect of degree of flexion at injection on the sensory blockade level.
RESULTS
Height and CSF pressure were correlated with sensory blockade level at 10 minutes after injection(R2=0.14, P<0.01). Only height was correlated with sensory blockade level at 30 minutes after injection(R2=0.09, P<0.0l).
CONCLUSIONS
Only height was correlated with sensory blokade level at 30 minutes. So, height might be considered as the most impressive minor factor affecting the extent of sensory blockade level.