Improving the safety and efficiency of outpatient lumbar puncture service.

ABSTRACT: Lumbar puncture (LP) is a commonly performed procedure in diagnosis and management of neurological conditions. LP is generally safe, however there are a number of potentially serious complications, including epidural haematoma and cerebral herniation. The risks of these should be considered and minimised prior to undertaking LP. Our regional neuroscience centre provides an outpatient LP service for patients throughout southeast England. Referrals from distant hospitals meant there was frequently no access to important clinical information, including indication for LP, past medical history, or medication history until the day of the procedure, and no access to results of investigations such as coagulation profile, platelet count, or intracranial imaging. Furthermore, there was limited capac

SUBMITTER: Sweeney M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4949615 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature