Performance of M-mode and color Doppler ultrasound for confirming epidural catheter placement in laboring women: A prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
cD is more sensitive and faster than M-mode for EC localisation in obstetrics.
Study context
- Population
- Parturients requesting epidural analgesia during labour
- Participants
- 100 participants
- Exposure
- M-mode vs colour Doppler ultrasound for confirming epidural catheter placement
- Outcome
- Feasibility of detecting the epidural catheter within the epidural space using M-mode
Methodological detailssingle-centre, observational, diagnostic accuracy
- Single-centre
- Observational
- Diagnostic accuracy
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Epidural catheter localisation by M-mode
| Group | Value | Sensitivity | Specificity | PPV | NPV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-mode | 48% | 49% | 100% | 100% | 4% |
M-mode
Value48%
Sensitivity49%
Specificity100%
PPV100%
NPV4%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
| Outcome | cD | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Epidural catheter localisation by cDcD vs M-mode · faster detection with cD | 76% | P = 0.001 |
| Sensitivity | 78% | |
| Specificity | 100% | |
| PPV | 100% | |
| NPV | 8% |
- Epidural catheter localisation by either modality
- 87% · sensitivity · specificity 100% · PPV 100% · NPV 13%
Epidural analgesia failure among cases undetected by either mode · 20 min post-insertion
- Cases undetected by either mode
- 15
- Epidural analgesia (EA) failed, requiring catheter repositioning
- 2
Original publication
Performance of M-mode and color Doppler ultrasound for confirming epidural catheter placement in laboring women: A prospective cohort study. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. Published 15 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →