Lumbar Puncture

What are the risks involved?

Pain during placement

• Discomfort can result from the needle puncture. This will be lessened with a local anaesthetic. The discomfort is usually mild and transient and does not imply serious injury.

Headache

• Some patients get a headache. This is usually mild and improves with bed rest and hydration.

Bleeding

• Bleeding can occur around the puncture site or, rarely, into the spinal cord. This is usually minor and stops on its own.

Coning

• This is a downward shift of the brain due to a sudden decrease in the pressure within the intra-cranial cavity. This is exceedingly rare and occurs when lumbar puncture is inappropriately done without due consideration of raised intra-cranial pressure.