Thermography to Assess Spinal Anaesthetic Block for Caesarean Section

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Thermographic temperature measurement compared with cold sensation in predicting the effectiveness of central neuraxial blockade

• IRAS ID

  163298

• Contact name

  Alia Darweish

• Contact email

  alia.darweish@nbt.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  North Bristol NHS Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 3 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  To prevent pain during caesarean section the spinal anaesthetic quality must be assessed before surgery starts: This means checking the patients is numb enough from the about the top of the bra line to the feet.
  Current acceptable methods to test of numbness include light touch, cold touch (using ice cubes or cold spray), sharp touch (with a pin prick). However, amongst leading anaesthetists, there is much debate about which method is best. All current methods however are subject to variability: Differences exist between senior and junior anaesthetists about what level sensation changes on the body is appropriate for surgery, and between patients. If a patient is stressed or anxious, for example, they may panic and not fully understand what the anaesthetist is trying to assess, or if there is a language barrier.

  These conditions present a risk of pain or unacceptable discomfort during surgery, or risk having to give the patient a
  general anaesthetic to deliver the baby. This in itself is a high risk procedure in a pregnant woman. It also means that the mother and the birth partner will miss the moment their baby is born.
  We would like to investigate a more impartial method of assessing the adequacy of spinal anaesthetic for pregnant women having an awake caesarean section delivery, using an infra­red thermal imaging camera.
  When the spinal anaesthetic takes effect, it not only causes the nerves that supply sensation to the body, but also those which control blood flow, causing the skin temperature to increase. The thermal imaging camera can reveal these changes in body temperature. From other studies looking at similar ideas, we believe that numb areas will also be warmer, so the assessor can be more confident that the patient will not feel pain during surgery.

• REC name

  Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/YH/1285

• Date of REC Opinion

  5 Dec 2014

• REC opinion

  Unfavourable Opinion