lumbar puncture

(noun)

A diagnostic and at times therapeutic procedure performed to collect a CSF for biochemical, microbiological, and cytological analysis, or rarely to relieve increased intracranial pressure.

Related Terms

Examples of lumbar puncture in the following topics:

  • Spinal Tap

    • A lumbar puncture, or spinal tap, is a procedure used to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), typically for diagnostic purposes.
    • The most common reason for a lumbar puncture is to collect cerebrospinal fluid in a case of suspected meningitis.
    • Serious complications of a properly-performed lumbar puncture are extremely rare.
    • Lumbar puncture is used as a diagnostic procedure for the following:
    • A patient undergoing a lumbar puncture.

  • Assessing CNS Disorders

    • ., lumbar punctures or blood tests).
    • A patient undergoes a lumbar puncture at the hands of a neurologist.

  • Cerebrospinal Fluid and Its Circulation

    • CSF can be tested for the diagnosis of various neurological diseases, usually with a procedure called lumbar puncture.
    • Lumbar puncture is performed in an attempt to count the cells in the fluid and to detect the levels of protein and glucose.

  • Overview of the Spinal Cord

    • A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is an example of a medical procedure that directly targets the spinal cord.
    • The spinal cord has a varying width, ranging from 0.5 inch thick in the cervical and lumbar regions to 0.25 inch thick in the thoracic area.
    • It is from this location at the level of the lumbar region that CSF fluid is obtained in a spinal tap.
    • The spinal cord is divided into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions.
    • Relationship between the spinal cord and vertebral column, delineating the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar sections.

  • Analgesia: Relief from Pain

    • As with intravenous (IV) needles, epidural catheters may be left inserted for several days so that multiple doses of medicine can be administered with only one puncture point.
    • Epidurals in the lumbar region are typically placed in the iliac crest, well below the terminus of the spinal cord.

  • Lumbar Plexus

    • The lumbar plexus is formed by the subcostal nerve and divisions of the first four lumbar nerves that arise from the middle to lower back.
    • The lumbar plexus is a nerve plexus in the lumbar region of the body that forms part of the lumbosacral plexus.
    • It is formed by the ventral divisions of the first four lumbar nerves (L1–L4) and from contributions of the subcostal nerve (T12), which is the last thoracic nerve.
    • Nerves of the lumbar plexus serve the skin and the muscles of the lower abdominal wall, the thigh, and external genitals.
    • An image of the lumbar plexus with its nerves highlighted in yellow.

  • Back Injuries and Heavy Lifting

    • The lumbar is often the site of back pain .
    • Both the load and the weight of the upper torso create significant stress on the body structures at the low back, especially at the disc between the fifth lumbar and the first sacral vertebrae.
    • In anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm and the sacrum (pelvis).
    • The five vertebrae in the lumbar region of the back are the largest and strongest in the spinal column.
    • In most mammals, the lumbar region of the spine curves outward.

  • Regional Vertebral Characteristics

    • The vertebrae of the spinal column are divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccyx.
    • The upper three regions of the spinal column are termed the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar; they contain individually jointed vertebrae.
    • They are larger than the cervical vertebrae and increase in size moving inferiorly to the lumbar region.
    • The five lumbar vertebrae are the largest vertebral bones and increase in size when moving inferiorly.
    • The lumbar vertebrae play a key role in supporting the body and facilitating locomotion.

  • The Spine

    • Lordosis is an exaggerated convex (lordotic) curvature of the lumbar region; it is commonly known as "swayback."
    • The upper three regions comprise the remaining 24, and are grouped as cervical (seven vertebrae), thoracic (12 vertebrae) and lumbar (five vertebrae).
    • The spinous processes of the cervical and lumbar regions can be felt through the skin.
    • As the child grows, lifts the head, and begins to assume an upright position, the secondary curves (cervical and lumbar) develop.
    • The lumbar curve forms between twelve to eighteen months when the child begins to walk.

  • General Characteristics of the Spine

    • There are 33 vertebrae in the human spine that are split into four regions that correspond to the curvature of the spine; the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx.
    • The vertebrae of the sacrum and coccyx are fused, but those of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions are separated by intervertebral discs.
    • These are called the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic regions.
    • The lumbar curve covers the region between vertebrae T12 and L5 and is more marked in the females than in males due to differences in pelvic structure.
    • The cervical and lumbar curves are secondary curves that are developed after birth; the former when the child is able to maintain an upright posture, the latter when the child begins to walk.