ツーイ針から局所麻酔薬を注入する時、あるいはカテーテルを留置した後は、まず少量の局所麻酔薬を試験的に注入する(テストドーズ、英: test dose)。これにより、カテーテルがくも膜下腔、あるいは血管内に迷入していないか確認できる。注入前には吸引して脳脊髄液や血液の逆流がないことを確認する。テストドースには低濃度のアドレナリンが混和された1.5〜2%リドカイン、あるいはメピバカインを用いる。2分以内に心拍数が20bpm以上増加し、血圧が上昇すれば血管内留置が疑われる。通常の硬膜外麻酔よりも迅速・広範囲に感覚および運動麻痺が出現したら、くも膜下腔への注入が疑われる[51](pp281-282)。無痛分娩においては、妊婦の心拍数は子宮の収縮に応じて変化するので、アドレナリン添加局所麻酔薬の試験投与の信頼性が落ちたり、子宮血流に有害な影響を及ぼすリスクがあるとも言われ、試験投与の有効性には賛否両論がある[54]。短時間の使用でよい場合は、ボーラスと呼ばれる1回分の薬剤が投与されることがある。その後、カテーテルがずれない限り、必要に応じてこのボーラスを繰り返すことができる(間欠ボーラス法)。効果を持続させるためには、薬剤の持続的な注入が行われる。間欠ボーラス法を自動化すれば、投与される総量が同じであっても、持続注入法よりも優れた疼痛制御を提供しうるというエビデンスがいくつかある[55][56][57]。一般に、硬膜外ブロックの効果は、注入部位の皮膚分節レベルで決まる。皮膚分節レベルの、より高い位置に注射すると、下位の脊髄神経における神経機能が温存される場合がある。例えば、上腹部の手術のために行われる胸部硬膜外麻酔は、会陰部または骨盤内臓器の周囲に何の影響も与えないかもしれない[58]。これは分節麻酔と呼ばれ、皮膚分節以下全てに麻酔効果が及ぶ脊髄くも膜下麻酔との大きな違いである。
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