Lumbar Puncture Complications

Lumbar puncture is a procedure of withdrawing a sample of cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. It is basically a diagnostic procedure, though also employed for therapeutic purposes in certain circumstances. The entire lumbar puncture procedure involves inserting a needle between the third and the fourth lumbar vertebrae and then pushing it into the spinal canal in order to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid or CSF. Ideally, the patient has to lie down in a lateral position with his or her neck and the knees bent in full flexion or he or she has to sit with his or her head and shoulder bent forward towards the knee. This procedure is also known by the name of spinal tap lumbar puncture.

Uses of Lumbar Puncture
Lumbar puncture is the most dependable diagnostic test for meningitis, which is characterized by inflammation of the tissues, that surround the brain and the spinal cord. These tissues are known as meninges and inflammation in them is generally caused by bacteria. While collecting the cerebrospinal fluid, a column manometer is used to measure the pressure of this fluid. On the other hand, the sample of the spinal fluid is examined for the presence of blood cells, especially the white blood cells. Depending on the results of such examination and the pressure of the spinal fluid, a number of diseases are diagnosed with the procedure. Out of them, some major diseases are hydrocephalus, benign intracranial hypertension, subarachnoid hemorrhage, diseases of the brain and spinal cord like multiple sclerosis and tumor.

As has been mentioned already, lumbar puncture procedure is also used for therapeutic purposes at times. More commonly, it is employed for injecting medications and anesthetic into the cerebrospinal fluid. The medications that are administered with this method are cancer drugs and antibiotics. Occasionally, the procedure is also used in order to draw out spinal fluid, if the spinal fluid pressure raises significantly. This may be the case with diseases like benign intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus.

Lumbar Puncture Complications
Despite being a very important diagnostic tool, lumbar puncture procedure is not without its share of complications and side effects. However, if properly carried out, serious lumbar puncture side effects are very rare. Therefore, it is generally considered as a safe procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid, as well as to administer medications into this fluid to treat several diseases. The common side effects of the procedure are explained below.

Headache
Headache is the one of the most commonly observed lumbar puncture complications, which can affect about 40% of people, who have gone through the procedure. Lumbar puncture headache is generally experienced near the base of the skull or at the front of the head. Such headaches usually resolve within a few days. In the meantime, regular pain killers or analgesics can be used to relieve the pain. Generally, such headaches are not considered as serious lumbar puncture problems.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage
Headaches persisting for several days, that do not go away with bed rest can be an indicator of cerebrospinal fluid leak, which takes place while collecting its sample. Such a situation necessitates treatment like epidural blood patch, where the blood of the patient is injected into the site of the leakage. As a result, the blood clots are formed at the particular site, which seal off the leakage caused by lumbar puncture.

Back Pain and Nerve Injury
Back pain can also be experienced by some individuals after lumbar puncture. Lumbar puncture back pain is usually felt in the lower back region. In addition to these, nerve injury can affect about 1 in 1000 people after going through the procedure. However, in most of the cases, such nerve injuries are not of severe nature.

Other Compliactions
Trauma or injury to the spinal cord or the spinal nerve roots can be termed as one of the serious problems after lumbar puncture. Sometimes, spinal or epidural bleeding as well as paraplegia or paralysis of the lower half of the body can also take place. Apart from these, spinal hematomas, subarachnoid cysts, cranial neuropathies and seizures are some other notable lumbar puncture complications. But their occurrence has been observed to be less frequent.

Major complications of lumbar puncture are more likely to arise in patients, who have been suffering from conditions like bleeding problems, brain tumor, epidural infection and bleeding inside the brain. Therefore, this procedure is not recommended for such individuals. It is also not recommended for the individuals, who take blood thinning medications. More on lumbar puncture side effects.

So, lumbar puncture can be termed as quite a safe procedure, if carried out properly with adequate care and precaution. The major lumbar puncture complications, by and large develop in patients who have some serious health problems. Therefore, physicians carry out a detailed analysis of the nervous system and the health condition of the patient before performing spinal tap lumbar puncture. This helps them to decide if the procedure can be done safely, without giving rise to any major complication and risks associated with lumbar puncture.