LUMBAR PUNCTURE

LUMBAR PUNCTURE

Overview and Facts

Lumbar puncture is a procedure of the lower back. Cerebrospinal fluid from the spine is removed from your two lumbar bones or vertebrae. This fluid protects your brain and spinal cord from injury.

This procedure helps diagnose severe infections and diseases found in the central nervous system, namely:

  • Meningitis
  • Cancer
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Bacterial, fungal, and viral infections
  • Encephalitis
  • Syphilis
  • Bleeding in the brain

What is its Purpose?

Lumbar Puncture needs to be done when:

  • When the cerebrospinal fluid is needed to collect for tests to be analyzed
  • To measure a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid
  • When injecting spinal medications and anesthetics
  • When injecting radioactive substances to the cerebrospinal fluids

Types and Symptoms

SYMPTOMS

All procedures and operations have risks, even just simple ones. Lumbar puncture, however, is considered to be usually safe. But here are some risks:

  • Headache after the surgery.Some patients suffer from problem 2 hours after the operation up until two days. This is called Post-lumbar puncture headache. It can last until weeks after the surgery, and this headache is due to standing or sitting down. The patient should lay down because this headache may come with sensations of nausea and vomiting.
  • Back pain.After the procedure, you may feel tenderness at the lower part of your back, and this feeling can travel down at the end of your legs.
  • It may appear where the lumbar puncture procedure has been done or in the area near it.

Diagnosis & Medications

TREATMENT

Before surgery, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown. Then you will be asked to be in a position that will show your back. Usually, the patient will lie on his/her side with the knees drawn to the chest. Other places are sitting on a stable surface. For children, it is advised to have someone with them to hold them through the procedure to make sure they do not move at all. The doctor will then insert the needle on your back.

The procedure may take about just 45 minutes.

Before the procedure, a local anesthetic is injected at the lower back of the patient to numb the place where the process will partake.

After the procedure, the doctor may suggest lying down.

After the procedure, the doctor suggests to:

  • Take a rest.Doing activities that require you to move a lot is big no after the Lumbar Puncture procedure. Your doctor should check your actions after the process.
  • Pain medication.Your doctor may prescribe pain medication after the procedure if the headache or back pains are felt.
  • Do not do labor work.If your day-to-day life requires you manual labor or if your job requires you to, it is advised to take a day off work. Doing strenuous activities after the procedure may result in complications and risks. Bleeding may occur in the area where the process was done if not careful.

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