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Dural Puncture Epidural (DPE) Technique: Efficacy and Safety Overview.

NCT07704554 · Status: RECRUITING · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 150

Last updated 2026-07-20

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Neuraxial techniques such as lumbar epidural and combined spinal-epidural (CSE) are the most effective methods for labor analgesia and are associated with high patient satisfaction. However, standard epidurals can have failure rates and may be difficult to reliably confirm correct placement.

The dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique has been introduced to improve confirmation of epidural placement and potentially enhance analgesia. It involves identifying the epidural space, puncturing the dura with a spinal needle without injecting medication, confirming cerebrospinal fluid flow, and then placing the epidural catheter. While DPE may improve analgesia and drug spread, current evidence is limited and does not clearly demonstrate superiority over standard epidural techniques.

At The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, DPE is used routinely for labor epidurals. This observational study evaluates epidural failure rates and anesthesia provider confidence in performing DPE, while also collecting procedural details, patient characteristics, analgesic outcomes, and complications. Provider confidence is assessed using a 3-point scale along with factors influencing performance, and patient outcomes include pain relief, need for rescue dosing, and overall epidural effectiveness.

Conditions

  • Labor Pain

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Dural Puncture Epidural (DPE) Technique

All eligible anesthesia care providers and laboring patients receiving the dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique as part of routine clinical care at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Outcomes include epidural success/failure, procedural characteristics, and provider confidence.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Ohio State University

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-10-01
Primary Completion
2028-01-31
Completion
2028-01-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07704554 on ClinicalTrials.gov