The standard way (i.e. old way) of doing epidurals is for the anesthesiologist to continuously press on a plunger of a syringe while piercing with the needle through the layers of the back (remember: skin–> subcutaneous fat–> supraspinous ligament–> interspinous ligament–> ligamentum flavum–> epidural space.) Since the epidural space is a potential space, the loss of resistance on a plunger is indicative of the entrance to the epidural area.
Indigo Orb, Inc., from Orange County, CA, is expecting to change the way we (anesthesiologists, including your correspondent) do this procedure. Filled with normal saline, the company’s Episure AutoDetect syringe has a plunger that automatically loses resistance, which “provides an objective, visual confirmation that the Epidural Space has been identified.”
The company tells Medgadget that its FDA approved product is now available in the US.
Product page…
Product video…
Device’s FAQ for anesthesiologists…