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5.3.1 - Principles of Performing a Lumbar Puncture (Intradural/‘Spinal’)

from Section 5.3 - Practical Central Nervous System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

Ned Gilbert-Kawai
Affiliation:
The Royal Liverpool Hospital
Debashish Dutta
Affiliation:
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow
Carl Waldmann
Affiliation:
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
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Summary

Key Learning Points

  1. 1. A lumbar puncture (LP) is a useful and extremely valuable investigation and should always be considered early.

  2. 2. LPs carry a morbidity risk, and patients should be screened for contraindications before performing the procedure.

  3. 3. Performing an LP in the sitting-up position is likely to be easier than in the lateral position; however, it does prevent all the tests from being done and may not be as well tolerated by the patient (particularly the acutely meningitic patient).

  4. 4. The risk of post-dural puncture headache can be minimised by using the smallest possible ‘non-cutting’ needle.

  5. 5. Ensure to send all samples that may be required and do not forget a paired serum glucose.

Type
Chapter
Information
Intensive Care Medicine
The Essential Guide
, pp. 603 - 607
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

References and Further Reading

Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. Safety guideline: skin antisepsis for central neuraxial blockade. Anaesthesia 2014;69:1279–86.Google Scholar
McGill, F, Heyderman, RS, Michael, BD, et al. The UK joint specialist societies guideline on the diagnosis and management of acute meningitis and meningococcal sepsis in immunocompetent adults. J Infect 2016;72:405–38.Google Scholar
Perry, S, Barnes, J, Allen, A. Tips from the shop floor: performing and interpreting a lumbar puncture. Br J Hosp Med (Lond) 2018;79:C183–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plewa, M, Dulebohn, S. Postdural Puncture Headache. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2017. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430925/Google Scholar

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