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

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT04983511

Enrollment

Registered

2021-07-30

Start date

2025-11-30

Completion date

2026-12-31

Last updated

2025-05-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Anesthesia, Local, Obstetric Pain

Keywords

Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test

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.

Detailed description

In this study, investigators hope to investigate the ability of the electrical epidural stimulation test (EST) to predict reactivation of epidural catheter in postpartum females. The standard practice for confirming the reactivation of epidural or CSE catheters requires methods such as dosing the local anesthetic. With the EST test this will allow for the anesthesiologist to determine whether or not the epidural can be activated immediately.

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTElectrical Epidural Stimulation Test (EST)

EST measures sensory/motor responses

Study design

Allocation

Intervention model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

NONE

Intervention model description

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

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* 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

Exclusion criteria

* 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

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Electrical Epidural Stimulation Test	Duration of EST test (approximately 1-2 hours)	Investigate the ability of the electrical epidural stimulation test (EST) to predict epidural catheter reactivation.

Contacts

Primary ContactBan C.H. Tsui, MD

bantsui@stanford.edu(650) 200-9107

Backup ContactKsenia Kasimova, MD

kasimova@stanford.edu(650) 788-9458

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026