Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test for Detecting Epidural Catheter Reactivation in Obstetric Population

NCT04983511 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 61999
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Following labor, epidural or combined spinal-epidural (CSE) catheters are kept in place and deactivated. However, many women opt for procedures such as tubal ligation, which may require epidural anesthesia as a method of pain relief. Our study aims to confirm the ability to predict reactivation of epidural catheter in postpartum females through the electrical epidural stimulation test (EST) which was first described by the PI of this study approximately 20 years ago.

Conditions

Obstetric Pain; Anesthesia, Local

Keywords

Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test

  Investigate the ability of the electrical epidural stimulation test (EST) to predict epidural catheter reactivation.

  Duration of EST test (approximately 1-2 hours)

Study Arms (1)

Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test (EST)

EXPERIMENTAL

Postpartum women are given EST to predict epidural catheter reactivation for their subsequent procedures (i.e. tubal ligation).

Diagnostic Test: Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test (EST)

Interventions

Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test (EST) DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

EST measures sensory/motor responses

Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test (EST)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Females, 18 years and older
• American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II
• Status post natural labor/birth process or C-section
• Has epidural or CSE catheter
• Upcoming procedure requiring epidural/CSE anesthesia for pain management

You may not qualify if:

• Contraindication to regional anesthesia
• Allergy or hypersensitivity to lidocaine, bupivacaine, or fentanyl
• Use of sedatives or opioids
• Abnormal vertebrae anatomy
• Neurological disorder with lumbar involvement
• Implanted electronic devices
• Did not receive epidural or CSE anesthesia

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Stanford University: lead

Related Publications (3)

• Carvalho JC, Khemka R, Loke J, Tsui BC. Low-dose intrathecal local anesthetic does not increase the threshold current for the epidural stimulation test: a prospective observational trial of neuraxial analgesia in labouring women. Can J Anaesth. 2015 Mar;62(3):265-70. doi: 10.1007/s12630-014-0291-x. Epub 2014 Dec 11.

  PMID: 25501494 RESULT

• Delgado C, Van Cleve W, Kent C, Dinges E, Bollag LA. Neuraxial anesthesia for postpartum tubal ligation at an academic medical center. F1000Res. 2018 Sep 26;7:1557. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.16025.1. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 30613393 RESULT

• Tsui BC, Gupta S, Finucane B. Confirmation of epidural catheter placement using nerve stimulation. Can J Anaesth. 1998 Jul;45(7):640-4. doi: 10.1007/BF03012093.

  PMID: 9717595 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Labor Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Ban C.H. Tsui, MD

CONTACT

(650) 200-9107; bantsui@stanford.edu

Ksenia Kasimova, MD

CONTACT

(650) 788-9458; kasimova@stanford.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor-Med Ctr Line

Model Details: Patients with deactivated epidural/CSE catheters will be given electrical epidural stimulation test to detect its ability to be reactivated.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2021
• First Posted: July 30, 2021
• Study Start: November 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 1, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share