A thoracic epidural assess (block or catheter insertion) is a widely used intervention to reduce pain in patients with postherpetic neuralgia or who underwent chest and upper abdominal surgery.~In order to achieve the correct procedure, accurate access to the thoracic epidural space is needed. However, a thoracic epidural assess is a relatively more difficult procedure than procedures used in other regions, because the spinous process of the thoracic vertebra is longer than that of the lumbar vertebra, and the area through which the needle can approach the epidural space is relatively smaller due to an acute angle and larger distance between the skin and the epidural space. The midthoracic region (T4-8) is the most difficult area when performing this procedure.~To overcome this issue, a method of approaching the thoracic epidural space through the contralateral oblique view (CLO view) has been introduced, however, unlike the cervical or lumbar spine, advantages of the CLO view over the lateral view or the optimal angle of the CLO view have not yet been studied. Therefore, we planned this study to investigate the advantages of the CLO view compared with the lateral view and to determine the optimal angles of the CLO view when fluoroscopic guided mid-thoracic epidural assess.
The aim of the present study is to compare contralateral oblique view with the lateral view for fluoroscopic guided mid-thoracic epidural assess.