A Study of the Depth from the Skin to the Psoas Compartment under C-arm Guidance

Woo, Sung Hoon; Kang, Jung Gwon; Oh, Wan Soo; Hong, Ki Hyuk

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Psoas compartment block with local anesthetics and corticosteroids is one of the treat- ments which provides long term analgesia of the lower back and anterior thigh unilaterally, and its technical easiness and safety allows blind application without C-arm guidance in the out-patient clinic. This study aimed to evaluate the mean of the depth from the skin to the psoas compartment, and its correlation to the following attributes: age, weight, height and PI (Ponderal Index),
METHODS
We investigated 28 patients who underwent psoas compartment block. All blocks were performed using Chayen's method (punctured at the point of 3 cm caudally and 5 cm laterally from the 4th lumbar vertebral spinous process) with a 22 G, 8 cm Tuohy needle under C-arm guidance. We recorded the depth from skin to the psoas compartment, height, weight and PI (weight (kg)/height (cm) x 100 (%)). Data were analyzed using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients. The conelations between the depth and other attributes identified by p-value of less than 0,05 were considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
The mean depths from skin to the psoas compartment were 6.02+/-0.28 cm in men, 5.44+/-0.22 cm in women. There is no significant correlation between the depth and other patients attributes.
CONCLUSIONS
The mean depths from skin to the psoas compartment may be one of the guide for psoas compartment block in outpatient clinics without C-arm guidance.