Atraumatic versus cutting needles in fluoroscopic lumbar puncture.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Atraumatic needles are known to reduce complication rates of blind lumbar punctures (LP), however, their use in fluoroscopically guided LP is less studied. This study assessed the comparative difficulty of performing fluoroscopic lumbar puncture with atraumatic needles.

Methods

Single-centre retrospective case-control study comparing atraumatic and conventional or "cutting" needles using fluoroscopic time and radiation dose (Dose Area Product or DAP) as surrogate markers. Patients were assessed from two comparable eight-month periods before and after a policy change to primary use of atraumatic needles.

Results

105 procedures with a cutting needle were performed in the group prior to the policy change. Median fluoroscopy time was 48 sec and median DAP was 3

SUBMITTER: Lee DYL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10230379 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature