Can a simple marking device make epidurals safer and faster?
NCT ID NCT04985279
First seen Aug 07, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026
Summary
This trial evaluates a new device called PAMS that attaches to an ultrasound probe to mark the exact spot for epidural needle insertion and measure the correct angle. The study involves healthy volunteers acting as patients and anesthesia doctors as operators, who will practice on a mannequin and then perform simulated procedures on the volunteers. The goal is to see if PAMS is easier to use and more accurate than the current method of marking with pens, which can be washed off by skin sterilization. Feedback from both doctors and volunteers will help refine the device for future use.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Position and Angle Marking System (PAMS) – a device that attaches to an ultrasound probe to mark the needle insertion point and measure the angle for epidural placement.
- What this could lead to
- If PAMS works well, it could make epidural placement faster and more accurate, improving pain relief during labor and reducing complications.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early usability study with a small number of participants, so it may not prove that PAMS is better in real clinical settings. The device may also need design improvements based on feedback.
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 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2021
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a government body.
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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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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.
Ultrasound operators Inclusion Criteria: * Anaesthesiologists * Trained in the use of ultrasound-guided neuraxial procedures Exclusion Criteria: * No experience with ultrasound-guided neuraxial procedures Simulated patients Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy, no significant medical comorbidity (American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I or II) * No spinal abnormalities, or previous spinal surgery Exclusion Criteria: * Significant spinal abnormality * Previous spinal surgery
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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KK Women's and Children's Hospital
Singapore, 128038, Singapore