Could a simple pressure test replace x-rays for epidurals?
NCT ID NCT07217457
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two methods to confirm that an epidural needle is in the right spot: a pressure-based waveform analysis and traditional X-ray guidance. About 160 adults having planned surgery will receive both checks. The goal is to see if the pressure test is as accurate as X-rays, which could reduce radiation exposure.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that a simple pressure test is as reliable as X-ray guidance for placing epidurals, potentially reducing radiation exposure.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage comparison study, not a treatment trial. The new method may prove less accurate than standard care, and results may not apply to all patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 160 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years or older * Undergoing surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center * Scheduled for planned (non-emergent, non-urgent) thoracic epidural placement as part of surgery and anesthesia * English speaking * Must have capacity for consent Exclusion Criteria: * Non-english speaking * Incarceration * Pregnant * Minors (under age 18) * Inability to provide consent
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756, United States
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