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or who need a little reassurance that
they're zeroing in on the target nerve,
says Mr. Rigdon.
• Multi-hole catheters. Compared
with open-end (single-hole) catheters,
multi-hole catheters have several ports
and are less likely to back up, providing
a more steady infusion rate, says Mr.
Rigdon.
• Kink-resistant catheters. A special
coil design helps prevent kinking and
subsequent slowing or stopping of the
local anesthetic as it flows from the
pain pump to the infusion site. That
means a patient's pain will be con-
trolled more effectively.
• Nerve-stimulating catheters. You
can use these to improve the accuracy
of block placement or provide dual
guidance (nerve stimulation and ultra-
sound used simultaneously) for placing
difficult blocks. These systems also
work well for providers who are still
new to using ultrasound guidance
alone, says Mr. Rigdon.
• Catheter-over-needle systems.
These replace catheter-through-needle
systems, and tend to be more efficient
and result in less leakage at the punc-
ture site. Dr. Khetarpal says they more
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