Lumbar Puncture

What is This Treatment?

Lumbar puncture is a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in which a thin needle is advanced into the subarachnoid space between the lumbar vertebrae to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or administer intrathecal medication. It is the gold standard for evaluating meningitis, hemorrhage, demyelinating diseases, and CSF pressure.

Benefits

• Enables definitive diagnosis of infections, hemorrhage, and inflammatory diseases
• Allows direct measurement of CSF pressure
• Can be used for intrathecal chemotherapy or antibiotic administration
• Can be safely performed at bedside under local anesthesia

Treatment Process

The patient is positioned sitting or lying on one side. Under sterile conditions, a spinal needle is inserted into the subarachnoid space at the L3-L4 or L4-L5 level after local anesthesia. CSF pressure is measured and samples are collected. The patient rests lying down afterward to reduce headache risk.

When is it used?

• CSF analysis for suspected meningitis and encephalitis
• Diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Assessment and treatment of normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Intrathecal drug administration

Recovery and planning

Bed rest in a horizontal position is recommended for 4-6 hours after the procedure. Headache is the most common complication and usually resolves spontaneously. Generous fluid intake is advised.