to the specific embodiment illustrated referring to the drawings fig1 is a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of the device 10 of the present invention the device 10 includes an internally threaded barrel 20 a correspondingly externally threaded blunt tipped hollow epidural needle 30 and a small preferably solid state pressure monitor 40 the threaded barrel 20 includes a hollow portion 21 approximately 16 to 18 guage in size it also has a large flat tab or ridge 22 to anchor it against the patient 39 s skin and prevent too much penetration or ingestion of the barrel 20 so that the sharp tip 23 of the barrel 20 does not enter the epidural space of the patient the tab 22 also prevents the device 10 from being pulled out of the patient the upper portion 24 of the barrel 20 has internal threads the hollow epidural needle 30 has a blunt tip 31 to help avoid dural puncture the upper portion 32 of the epidural needle 30 has external threads that correspond to the internal threads on the barrel 20 a knurled wheel or knob 33 is located at the proximal end of the needle 30 to enable precise control of the penetration of the tip 31 of the needle 30 which is advanced by rotating the knurled wheel 33 in a clockwise direction while the external threads of the epidural needle 30 engage the internal threads of the barrel 20 the tip 31 of the needle 30 should not extend beyond the tip 23 of the barrel 21 until the external threads of the needle 30 engage the internal threads of the barrel 20 the.