Procedures

MR ARTHROGRAMS PAIN MANAGEMENT Epidural Injections Facet Injections Nerve Root Blocks Joint Injections / Aspirations VERTEBROPLASTY FLUOROSCOPY PROCEDURES AND IMAGING LUMBAR PUNCTURE PICC & PORT PLACEMENT

Procedures

LUMBAR PUNCTURE

A lumbar puncture is performed to remove fluid from the spinal canal for the purpose of diagnostic testing. It is particularly helpful in the diagnosis of inflammatory or infectious diseases of the central nervous system, but can also be used to detect hemorrhage or certain cancers.

The patient is usually placed face-down on the imaging table and the skin is numbed. Flouroscopic imaging is used to help direct the placement of the needle between the bones of the spine and into the thecal sac, in the spinal canal, which surrounds the spinal cord and nerves. The patient is encouraged to stay in bed for 24 hours following the procedure to help the hole created in the thecal sac to seal over. The patient should drink plenty of liquids to replace the fluid that was withdrawn.