2020 Volume 27 Issue 1 Pages 43-47
Psoas compartment block (PCB) for low-back or leg pain carries the risks of retroperitoneal hematoma or visceral injury. In order to evaluate the safety profile of PCB, we retrospectively assessed the anatomical position of the psoas muscle (PM) in patients that received a lumbar MRI. We measured the following distances at the level of the L4 spinal segment: 1) depth from 40 mm lateral to spinous process at the skin to PM, 2) distance from spinous process to the lateral border of PM. We also evaluated the location of the kidneys and the incidence of complications in relation to patient characteristics. A hundred patients were included in the study. The mean results were, 1) 63 mm, 2) 63 mm in males, and 53 mm in females. Both kidneys were located below L3 in most patients and there were no complications related to patient characteristics. The PM was found to be located deeper with increased body weight and tended to be located more laterally in males.
