Lumbar puncture complications are infrequent, with headache being the most common. Postdural puncture headache occurs more often in women and can be reduced with the use of pencil-point needles. Epidural blood patch is the most effective treatment. Serious complications are rare but can occur in patients with existing medical conditions. CSF samples can help diagnose various conditions. The procedure is done by trained medical personnel in the lower back.
Considering the invasiveness of the procedure, most lumbar puncture complications are infrequent. The most common complication is headache, which occurs in about four out of ten lumbar puncture patients and usually resolves within a week. Other complications are more serious but occur much less frequently. Meningitis, nerve root injury, and prolonged back pain are possible, though rare, complications of lumbar puncture.
Headache that occurs after a lumbar puncture is called postdural puncture headache. Its causes are not known. It occurs more often in women than in men and less often in younger and older patients. Several studies show that the choice of needle used for lumbar puncture affects the incidence of these types of lumbar puncture complications. Pencil-point needles, as opposed to blunt-point needles, appear to significantly reduce the occurrence of post-dural puncture headaches.
Studies show that neither bed rest nor lying prone for an extended period of time prevents a post-dural puncture headache. Oral caffeine provides transient relief, but it is short-lived and will not eliminate the headache. The most effective treatment is an epidural blood patch. The patch is applied after the puncture and provides relief for up to 98% of patients suffering from post-dural puncture headache.
Serious complications of lumbar puncture include tonsillar herniation, intracranial bleeding, and infection. These types of complications are rare. Some complications occur more frequently in patients whose health or condition is compromised. Patients with existing serious medical conditions are more prone to developing life-threatening complications due to lumbar punctures.
CSF samples are obtained from a lumbar puncture. This fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Examination of the fluid can help diagnose conditions such as meningitis, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral hemorrhage. The procedure is sometimes done to determine for changes in cerebrospinal pressure. The pressure difference before fluid removal and after fluid removal can aid in the diagnosis of a brain tumor or infection.
Neurologists or other trained medical personnel do lumbar punctures. The procedure usually takes place in the lower back. Doctors first clean, sterilize, and sometimes numb the area around the puncture site. They insert a needle between the vertebrae and move through the space filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Once the fluid is withdrawn, doctors remove the needle and cover the puncture with a sterile dressing.
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