I. Brief description of spinal tap

A spinal tap ( also known as a lumbar puncture ) procedure represents the extraction of a fluid called CSF. This fluid will be analyzed so conclusions could be formed. There are several reasons for doing this procedure but usually this is done in order to insert medication into the cerebrospinal fluid and to check for meningitis. The environment must be aseptic and done only by professional doctors. Side effects of a spinal tap are important and will be presented in the following article.

II. Procedure description

The adult is placed in a lateral position. The neck and knees must be bent up to the chest ( similar to a fetal position ). Once the zone behind the lower back is cleaned and prepared a spinal needle will be inserted into the patient. Usually the lumbar vertebrae where the needle is inserted are L3/L4 or L4/L5. After a full insertion the liquid is collected from the needle. Pressure must be applied when the needle is withdrawn. One of the side effects of spinal tap could be a neurological problem. For this reason the person has to say still for six hours and be closely monitored.

III. Side effects of a spinal tab

The range of side effects is considerable and ranges from introduced infection to headache - the most common one. The severe complications are damage to spinal cord or nerve roots. That can result in paraplegia, weakness and even sensation loss problems. There are some situations when this procedure is not recommended like : reduced or high pressure in the brain, epidural infection or dermatological conditions. This can make the risk of infection very high. For People with neurosis or psychosis is also not recommended to have this procedure.