A lumbar puncture (LP) is also called a spinal tap. It involves the insertion of a hollow needle into the space (called subarachnoid space) around the spinal cord for collecting a small amount of fluid (called the cerebrospinal fluid or CSF). The procedure is done in the lower back, an...
I was told one of the rarer risks of the procedure was “a headache” that would go away after a few days. What I didn’t know at the time, and wish that I did, was that lumbar punctures are themost common iatrogenic cause of spinal CSF leaks—and that the risk of a leak is n...
To the Editor: We are concerned about the recommendation that Dr Straus and colleagues1 made in the Rational Clinical Examination article on lumbar punctures to reinsert the stylet upon completion of a lumbar puncture. This is a difficult maneuver with a high potential for a sharps injury ...
How valuable is a lumbar puncture in the management of patients with suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage? Emerg Med. 2001;13:326-332.Beetham R, Fahie-Wilson M, Holbrook I, et al. How valuable is a lumbar puncture in the management of patients with suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage? Emerg Med ...
How to perform a lumbar puncture with the patient in the seated position The main advantage of performing lumbar puncture with the patient seated is that it is technically easier since the anatomical landmarks are less ambiguous. The main disadvantage is that the opening pressure can not be accu...
Results of other tests, like those done on your spinal fluid after a lumbar puncture Other possible causes of your condition also need to have been ruled out. After MS Diagnosis It may take a long time to get an MS diagnosis. If you've been waiting years or months, the news might be...
Corneal scraping- Taking a corneal scrape and diagnosing. Slit-lamp examination. Dilation of pupil. Lumbar puncture usually done by a neurologist. How is Photophobia or Sensitivity to Light Treated? The perfect treatment for photophobia or sensitivity to light is by way of addressing the ...
Lumbar puncture - A lumbar puncture or spinal tap can also be carried out by the doctor. A spinal tap is needed to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF of people infected with meningitis often shows a low sugar level along with an increased protein and white blood cell (WBC) count...
done to make the diagnosis. In certain infected areas, a traveler can take medication to prevent malaria.Lyme diseaseis spread by the bite of a tick. This is common in areas of the U.S. where the deer tick is found. Any infection caused by an insect bite should be evaluated by a ...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a heterogeneous disease of the central nervous system that is governed by neural tissue loss and dystrophy during its progressive phase, with complex reactive pathological cellular changes. The immune-mediated mechanisms that promulgate the demyelinating lesions during relapses ...