Lumbar puncture (LP) is a procedural skill that is required for practice in the emergency care setting, most often for diagnostic purposes. Rarely, it can also be used therapeutically, to alleviate the pain of patients presenting to the emergency department with acute headache from idiopathic intracranial hypertension. In either case, LP constitutes an invasive procedure in which the subarachnoid space is entered in order to obtain a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from one of the most vulnerable areas of the human anatomy. It is essential for the emergency clinician to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of LP, to ensure informed consent when possible, and to proceed in a manner that ensures optimal patient safety and effectiveness. This article reviews current recommendations and considerations around performing LP, in addition to the process for performing the procedure.
Keyphrases
- emergency department
- patient safety
- minimally invasive
- quality improvement
- healthcare
- end stage renal disease
- cerebrospinal fluid
- public health
- endothelial cells
- chronic kidney disease
- pain management
- blood pressure
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- systematic review
- randomized controlled trial
- chronic pain
- palliative care
- primary care
- liver failure
- ultrasound guided
- prognostic factors
- peritoneal dialysis
- case report
- spinal cord
- human health
- risk assessment
- drug induced
- aortic dissection
- hepatitis b virus
- health insurance
- emergency medical
- meta analyses