ULTRASOUND GUIDED ASSESSMENT OF THE TUFFIER’S LINE DISTANCE FROM L4-L5 INTERSPACE AND ITS CORRELATION BETWEEN ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING SPINAL ANAESTHESIA

Abstract

Background: Spinal anaesthesia is a commonly used technique for various surgeries, including those involving the lower extremities and abdomen. The accuracy of identifying the L4-L5 interspace, which is crucial for proper spinal anaesthesia, relies heavily on “Tuffier’s line, an anatomical landmark formed by connecting the highest points of the iliac crests.” However, the variability in the positioning of Tuffier’s line across different individuals raises concerns about its accuracy. Ultrasound guidance has emerged as an alternative technique to improve the precision of identifying spinal landmarks. This study aims to assess the accuracy of ultrasound in identifying Tuffier’s line and to explore its correlation with various anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Objective: The “primary objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Tuffier’s line identification through ultrasound in patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia. The secondary objective was to determine the correlation between the distance from Tuffier’s line to the L4-L5 interspace and anthropometric measurements, such as height, weight, and BMI, in these patients.” Methods: This was a “cross-sectional study conducted at R.L. Jalappa Hospital, Kolar, on 100 non-obstetric patients undergoing elective lower abdominal or lower limb surgeries under spinal anaesthesia. After obtaining informed consent, participants were subjected to ultrasound for the identification of the L4-L5 interspace, and the distance from Tuffier’s line to the L4-L5 interspace was measured. The patients' height, weight, and BMI were recorded, and statistical analysis was performed to examine the correlation between these anthropometric factors and the Tuffier’s line distance.” The “comparison of distances between male and female participants was conducted using the independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test based on the data distribution.”