Too tall for epidural

[narcusprince]

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Any of you guys have problems with your back when placing epidurals. I am six four and those darn beds wont raise high enough for me to be placing at eye level. Do you all place them seated or what??? Most of the guys teaching me are short less than 5'7''. PGG your tall what do you do?

 

[jennyboo]

ehhh.... sit down!

I'm 5'1" so I raise the bed high and do it standing (specially on OB, hurts my back to lean over doing it sitting). You, on the other hand, are perfect for doing them sitting.

You don't need to place them at eye level (that seems a bit too high), just at a height where your hands/arms are comfortable. Usually for me that's substantially below eye level.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

Any of you guys have problems with your back when placing epidurals. I am six four and those darn beds wont raise high enough for me to be placing at eye level. Do you all place them seated or what??? Most of the guys teaching me are short less than 5'7''. PGG your tall what do you do?

At eye level... seriously? Who puts in lumbar epidurals at eye level?

 

[deleted50478]

At eye level... seriously? Who puts in lumbar epidurals at eye level?

Yeah! You don't want all that CSF to squirt you in the eye! 😉

 

[pgg]

Any of you guys have problems with your back when placing epidurals. I am six four and those darn beds wont raise high enough for me to be placing at eye level. Do you all place them seated or what??? Most of the guys teaching me are short less than 5'7''. PGG your tall what do you do?

I slouch. 🙂 With the bed all the way up they're around waist level for me, which is comfortable. I think eye level would be uncomfortably high and awkward.

Some people sit.

 

[dhb]

in OB i always sit in the OR (thoracic epi) i stand

 

[militarymd]

weaver stance

 

[RabbMD]

I Sit. I figure if I am sitting that is one less person moving around. I always do my thoracics in lateral, and my lumbers sitting (Unless there is a reason, IE blood patch, ect.) for some reason. Works for me.

Now Nerve Blocks I can see being a problem for really tall people. I raise the bed up as high as I can, and though I am only 5'8" I still have to slouch some. For some reason I think doing those sitting would be much harder.

 

[pmichaelmd]

I am 6'5" and just raise the bed until it won't go any higher. It is nowhere near eye level, nor does it have to be. Just comfortable for my arms. Either way, as you gain experience, it won't be as much of an issue as the whole process should be over in a matter of minutes. From kit open until bag running is USUALLY 10 minutes or less, including the time to joke with the patient and make them feel better about the whole thing. By the time you are wheeling the cart out of the room, they should be praising your name, telling you that they love you, and earning evil glances from their husbands 👍

PMMD

 

[Jeff05]

once you get better and it takes you less than 60 seconds from needle into back to LOR, back pain won't be an issue. before then, sit down. in any case, i'm not sure why you need to be eye level...

 

[tucker27705]

I am 6 feet. I raise the bed all the way, then stand with my feet spread fairly widely. I have seen other tall people to this too. That lets my arms extend roughly parallel with the floor from my elbows. Works for me.
T

 

[thegasman]

I am 6 feet. I raise the bed all the way, then stand with my feet spread fairly widely. I have seen other tall people to this too. That lets my arms extend roughly parallel with the floor from my elbows. Works for me.
T

agree with this i am 6'3, bed all the way up and wide stance works well.

 

[dhb]

Are you all trying ti give your orthopods extra work?
I fail to see how cranking the bed all the way up with a pregnant restless patient which you're going to stick with a fat tuohy is a good idea 😕

 

[inmyslumber]

I am 5'7" but still think bed is too low. Too high and nurse in front of patient complains and it is not worth it. In any case, I stand with my feet apart with a wide stance that does look ridiculous when I see other people do it. Learned this stance from one of my senior colleagues who is 6'2" - works well and better than slouching for me.