Spinal and epidural blocks are used in a wide range of clinical circumstances and the ability to place them is a key skill for all anaesthetists.

As well as these very common procedures, this session will also include descriptions of the combined spinal-epidural, caudal anaesthesia (a sub-type of epidural anaesthesia) and the placement of spinal catheters.

In doing so, this session will look at the:

• Requirements for performing these blocks safely
• Equipment used to perform such blocks
• Basic techniques for performing them
• Immediate complications that may arise