RT Book, Section
A1 Reichman, Eric F.
SR Print(0)
ID 57712097
T1 Chapter 115. Lumbar Puncture
T2 Emergency Medicine Procedures, 2e
YR 2013
FD 2013
PB The McGraw-Hill Companies
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-161352-1
LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=57712097
RD 2024/04/20
AB Meningitis  and  subarachnoid  hemorrhage  (SAH)  are  serious  life-threatening  conditions.  They  require  prompt  and  accurate  diagnosis  in  the  Emergency  Department  due  to  their  significant  morbidity  and  mortality.  There  are  many  diagnostic  modalities  available  to  the  Emergency  Physician  to  assist  in  the  diagnosis.  However,  the  lumbar  puncture  (LP)  is  still  considered  the  gold  standard.  The  LP  is  a  procedure  that  is  often  performed  in  the  Emergency  Department  to  obtain  information  about  the  cerebrospinal  fluid  (CSF)  to  aid  in  the  diagnosis  of  a  variety  of  medical  conditions.  Knowledge  about  the  proper  indications,  contraindications,  various  techniques,  equipment,  and  recognition  and  treatment  of  its  complications  is  vital  to  any  Emergency  Physician  who  performs  this  procedure.  An  LP  should  be  performed  after  a  thorough  neurological  exam.  Significant  morbidity  and  mortality  can  result  if  the  procedure  is  performed  on  the  wrong  patient.