WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for October, 1999: Re: spinal tap

Re: spinal tap

From: Vera (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 31 Oct 1999 05:51:48 -0600 (CST)

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At Fri, 29 Oct 1999, dbb wrote: >
> My husband has many medical problems (won't be 50 for a couple of weeks. He
>has been having episodes that seem to be like TIA's. An MRI was done in may
>and an EEg was done then and another a couple of weeks ago. Nothing
>remarkable. We are having another MRI on Monday, and they have scheduled a
>spinal tap in a couple of weeks. He wants to know How dangerous and PAINFUL
>is a spinal tap and what can it tell them.

Hi, Donna.....

Hmmm, your husband is very lucky to have a good wife like you.

Spinal tap or lumbar puncture is aimed to obtain the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This fluid will be analyzed to identify any pathologic processes in your husband's brain. The key to successful lumbar puncture is positioning. The patient should lay on his right/left side of the body, with knees flexed on the abdomen. After the local anesthetic is injected, a needle is inserted into the space between the third and fourth lumbal spine (somewhere in the midline of the patient's low back). Pressure measurement is carried out before CSF removal and with the patient relaxed and the legs straightened. After the needle has obtained some CSF (usually less than 15 ml), the doctor withdraws the needle and the puncture site will be covered by a sterile gauze. Then, the CSF will be sent to the lab for chemical and microscopic analysis.

Lumbar puncture is contraindicated in patients with increased intracranial pressure, coagulation disorder, seizure, infection at the puncture site. It is more difficult to performed when the patient's anatomic landmarks are obscured (e.g. in patients with obesity, spinal deformity).

Complications of the lumbar puncture are : * back pain (common, but transient) * postlumbar puncture headache (usually lasts 1 to 2 days) * epidural or subdural hemorrhage (rare) * introduction of infection (rare)

Hope your husband get better soon....

--
Vera, S.Ked.
Fifth year medical student
Diponegoro University
INDONESIA

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