Lumbar puncture

• Book ID: 102338689
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 33 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1553-5592
• DOI: 10.1002/jhm.37

✦ Synopsis

Lumbar puncture is a procedure during which a needle is inserted into the subarachnoid space to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for laboratory analysis. CSF is formed within the ventricular choroid plexus and distributed in the ventricular system, basal cisterns and the subarachnoid space. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) estimates over 240,000 lumbar punctures were performed in hospitalized patients in 2002. Hospitalists identify patients who require lumbar puncture to assess acute or chronic central nervous system (CNS) disease processes. Early diagnosis and therapy of acute CNS infections or subarachnoid hemorrhage is essential to lower morbidity and mortality.