Author/Authors :
Afshin Majd, Siamak Department of Neurology - Shahed University, Tehran , Pourfarzam, Shahryar Department of Internal Medicine - Shahed University, Tehran , Ghasemi, Hassan Department of Ophthalmology - Shahed University, Tehran , Yarmohammadi, Mohammad Ebrahim Department of Otolaryngology - Shahed University, Tehran , Davati, Ali Department of Health and Social Medicine - Shahed University, Tehran , Jaberian, Moslem School of Medicine - Shahed University, Tehran
Abstract :
BACKGROUND: The most common complication of lumbar puncture (LP) occurring in over thirty percent of patients is
headache. The position after lumbar puncture, needle type and size, and volume of the extracted cerebrospinal fluid
(CSF) have been evaluated as contributory factors in occurrence of post lumbar puncture headache (PLPH), but the position
before lumbar puncture has not been evaluated.
METHODS: The occurrence of post lumbar puncture headache was evaluated in 125 patients undergoing lumbar puncture,
divided randomly into sitting and lateral decubitus groups in the following five days. Chi-square test was used for
statistical analysis.
RESULTS: Thirty eight patients (30.4%) reported headache after lumbar puncture in the two groups, and post lumbar
puncture headache was significantly lower in the lateral decubitus position (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference
between genders in the post lumbar puncture headache occurrence (p = 0.767).
CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar puncture in sitting position could produce more post lumbar puncture headache in comparison
with lateral decubitus position.
