LAUSR

BACKGROUND Neuraxial ultrasound might improve the efficacy of spinal anaesthesia but this has not been tested for the paramedian approach in the elderly. OBJECTIVE The current study aims to assess whether the ultrasound-assisted paramedian technique can decrease the number of needle passes required for success compared with the landmark-guided paramedian technique in the elderly. DESIGN Prospective randomised controlled study. SETTING Single-institution, tertiary-level hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea from October 2017 to January 2018. PATIENTS Eighty patients aged at least 60 years undergoing orthopaedic surgery. INTERVENTION All received paramedian spinal anaesthesia by either the landmark-guided or preprocedural ultrasound-assisted technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The number of needle passes required for successful dural puncture. RESULTS The number of needle passes (median [interquartile range]) was significantly lower (1.0 [1.0 to 2.0] vs. 4.5 [2.0 to 7.0]) and the success rate at first pass significantly higher at 65.0 vs. 17.5% in the ultrasound compared with the landmark group (both P < 0.001). The ultrasound-assisted technique required a longer time for establishing landmarks 117.5 [85.5 to 150.7] vs. 17.5 [14.0 to 23.0] s, and for total procedure 181.5 [133.5 to 212.5] vs. 92.5 [62.5 to 176.5] s, but a shorter time for administering spinal anaesthesia 39.5 [31.5 to 71.3] vs. 77.0 [45.8 to 136.5] s (all P < 0.001) than the landmark-guided technique. The ultrasound group showed lower periprocedural pain scores 3 [2 to 4] vs. 4 [4 to 6] (P = 0.009) and discomfort scores 2 [0 to 3] vs. 5 [2 to 6] (P = 0.003) than the landmark group. CONCLUSION Compared with the landmark-guided paramedian technique, the ultrasound-assisted paramedian technique decreases the number of needle manipulations and periprocedural pain and discomfort scores in the elderly. Our results suggest that neuraxial ultrasonography facilitates the performance of spinal anaesthesia in the elderly. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03316352.