Does Preprocedural Ultrasound Increase the First-Pass Success Rate of Epidural Catheterization Before Cesarean Delivery? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Preprocedural ultrasound may improve the efficacy and safety of epidural catheterization, especially in difficult cases. Most studies of ultrasound-assisted epidural catheterization in the obstetric population are dated and nonblinded with inconsistent designs. This double-blind, randomized controlled study aimed to compare the ultrasound-assisted with the conventional palpation techniques for epidural catheterization in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery.