BACKGROUND: Cutting needles remain the most commonly used needle design for lumbar puncture in the neurology community, although atraumatic (noncutting) needles have become common and popular for anesthesiologists performing spinal anesthesia. REVIEW SUMMARY: The use of atraumatic spinal needles for lumbar puncture has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of postdural puncture headache compared with cutting needles, without loss of efficacy or ease of use. CONCLUSION: The use of noncutting or pencil-point spinal needles should become the standard for performing diagnostic lumbar puncture.
BACKGROUND: Cutting needles remain the most commonly used needle design for lumbar puncture in the neurology community, although atraumatic (noncutting) needles have become common and popular for anesthesiologists performing spinal anesthesia. REVIEW SUMMARY: The use of atraumatic spinal needles for lumbar puncture has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of postdural puncture headache compared with cutting needles, without loss of efficacy or ease of use. CONCLUSION: The use of noncutting or pencil-point spinal needles should become the standard for performing diagnostic lumbar puncture.
Authors: W P J van Oosterhout; A A van der Plas; E W van Zwet; R Zielman; M D Ferrari; G M Terwindt Journal: Neurology Date: 2013-02-06 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Krista L Moulder; Lilah M Besser; Duane Beekly; Kaj Blennow; Walter Kukull; John C Morris Journal: Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord Date: 2017 Oct-Dec Impact factor: 2.703