Dural puncture and corticotherapy as risks factors for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Dural puncture with corticosteroid could be a predisposing factor for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). A 35-year-old woman using oral contraception was treated with corticosteroid epidural infiltration for L5 radiculalgia. The following day a postural headache developed and accidental dural puncture was suspected. Four days later, she presented with fever and consciousness impairment requiring mechanical ventilation. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) confirmed thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus. Recanalization was observed three weeks later and the patient fully recovered. Blood tests for thrombophilia showed a moderate decrease in the C protein level (chronometric activity 44%, N = 65-130). CVT has been reported after spinal anaesthesia or peridural anaesthesia with accidental puncture. After dural puncture the decrease of cerebrospinal fluid pressure induces a rostrocaudal sagging effect with traumatic damage to the fragile venous endothelial wall, and may trigger a venous vasodilatation with resultant stasis. CVT has also been described in patients after lumbar puncture and oral corticoid treatment for multiple sclerosis and after corticosteroid intrathecal infiltration. Therefore, corticosteroids can be considered as a potential additional procoagulant stimuli.     

Post-dural puncture related complications after diagnostic lumbar puncture, myelography and spinal anaesthesia

Objectives – This study was conducted to investigate complications after dural puncture. Material and methods – A 15 months' prospective observation study of routine clinical practice with dural puncture at a university hospital was conducted. Quincke spinal needles 0.90 to 1.0 mm O.D. (20–19 g) were used for diagnostic lumbar puncture, 0.70 mm O.D. (22 g) for myelography and 0.40 to 0.50 mm O.D. (27–25 g) for spinal anaesthesia. A questionnaire about post-puncture discomfort was given to the patients, to be returned after 1 week. Results – Of 679 questionnaires 537 (79.1%) were returned. Discomfort was experienced by 53.8% of the patients, most often after diagnostic lumbar puncture and myelography. The difference in incidence of headache after diagnostic lumbar puncture and myelography compared with spinal anaesthesia were 27.9% (95% CI: 18.6 to 37.2) and 18.3% (95% CI: 9.1 to 27.5). Conclusion – Small diameter and atraumatic spinal needles will reduce patients' discomfort after dural puncture.     

Safety and acceptability of the research lumbar puncture

Three hundred forty-two subjects underwent 428 research lumbar punctures for studies of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Subjects were 67 Alzheimer disease or mild cognitive impairment (AD/MCI) patients and 275 cognitively normal adults aged 21 to 88. Lumbar puncture was performed in the lateral decubitus or sitting position using the Sprotte 24 g atraumatic spinal needle. Up to 34 ml of cerebrospinal fluid were collected. Anxiety and pain experienced during lumbar puncture were rated on a visual analog scale. The frequency of any adverse event (11.7%), clinically significant adverse events (3.97%), and typical post-lumbar puncture headache (PLPHA) (0.93%) was low. Risk of post-lumbar puncture headache was unrelated to age, gender, position during lumbar puncture, ml of cerebrospinal fluid collected, or minutes of recumbent rest following lumbar puncture. The frequency of post-lumbar puncture headache was lower in AD/MCI (P = 0.03) than any other subject group. Anxiety and pain ratings were low. Younger subjects reported more anxiety than old (P = 0.001) and AD/MCI subjects (P = 0.008) and more pain than older normal subjects (P = 0.013). Pain ratings for women were higher than those for men (P = 0.006). Using the Sprotte 24 g spinal needle, research lumbar puncture can be performed with a very low rate of clinically significant adverse events and with good acceptability in cognitively impaired persons and cognitively normal adults of all ages.     

Activation of the neuroprotective ERK signaling pathway by fructose-1,6-bisphosphate during hypoxia involves intracellular Ca2+ and phospholipase C

Following rabbit spinal cord ischemia we measured histology, neurological outcome and spinal cord blood flow to investigate relationships between these quantities over a range of ischemia durations. Rabbits underwent reversible spinal cord ischemia induced by temporary aortic artery occlusion for zero to 65 min. In one cohort, surviving spinal cord cells were counted after 4 days of reperfusion using computer image analysis (n=23). Neurological outcome (paraplegic or non-paraplegic) was assessed in another group (n=381) after 18 h of reperfusion. A third group (n=8) had spinal cord blood flow measured by radioactive tracer immediately after ischemia. Histological analysis showed fewer motor neurons and astrocytes surviving as ischemia duration increased. Following 13 min (95% confidence interval (CI), 6 to 27) of ischemia 50% of low lumbar cord motor neurons remained alive; 50% of rabbits were paraplegic following 28.4 (26.7 to 30.0) min of ischemia; 28% (17% to 48%) of low lumbar motor neurons survived at this duration; 5% of rabbits were permanently paraplegic following 13.6 (10.6 to 16.1) min of ischemia, although only 52% (30% to 87%) of lower spinal cord motor neurons survived. Low lumbar cord blood flow was reduced to 2% of flow in non-ischemic thoracic cord after 25 and 60 min of ischemia (0.52 and 0.59 ml/100 g/min, respectively). These data support a fundamental hypothesis on which experimental ischemia is based: that substantial neuronal death follows directly from reversible ischemia and leads to permanent neurological deficit.     

Blood-CSF barrier integrity in multiple sclerosis

Introduction - In about 20% of MS patients an increased CSF/serum albumin quotient (Q_Alb) has been observed. The reason for this blood-CSF barrier dysfunction is yet unclear.
Subjects and methods - Q_Alb values from 48 MS patients in relapse were correlated with parameters of active CNS lesions as measured by gadolinium-DTPA MRIs. Q_Alb values from 20 MS patients without relapse served as controls. Results - Mean Q_Alb values (×10³) of a group with spinal cord lesions (7.6±3.6; n=16) differed significantly from those of a control group (4.6±1.5; n=20; p<0.005) as well as from those of a group with supratentorial lesions (5.0±1.8; n=18; p<0.05), and were higher than those of a group with infratentorial lesions (5.8±2.8; n=14). Q_Alb values of patients with a spinal lesion tended to decrease with increasing time intervals between onset of relapse and lumbar puncture. Conclusions - The data is in consent with the present knowledge on flow dynamics of both extracellular fluid and CSF. As a clinical consequence, increased Q_Alb values in MS patients may hint at an active spinal or, less likely, infratentorial lesion.     

Paraparesis after lumbar puncture in a male with leukemia

A diagnostic lumbar puncture was performed in a 12-year-old male with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Because of thrombocytopenia (platelet count 42,000/mm(3)), a platelet transfusion was given immediately before the lumbar puncture. However, the platelet count was not re-examined. The patient developed progressive paraparesis shortly after the lumbar puncture. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extensive spinal subdural hematoma from the T2 to S2 level. This case report illustrates the sometimes dramatic consequences of lumbar puncture in patients with childhood leukemia. Guidelines for the examination of the platelet count and correction of thrombocytopenia before lumbar puncture are discussed.     

两种不同材料椎间融合器治疗腰椎不稳症的应用比较*

背景：碳纤维箱型和钛合金螺纹状椎间融合器是两种材料及形状均不同的椎间融合器,均取得了良好的临床效果。 目的： 应用碳纤维箱型及钛合金螺纹状Cage联合椎弓根内固定系统治疗腰椎不稳症,比较影像学变化及临床症状改善情况。 方法：对59例行后路短节段椎弓根钉系统复位与内固定单节段腰椎不稳症患者进行随访,其中实施碳纤维楔型椎间融合器37例,钛合金螺纹状椎间融合器22例。用M-JOA评分的症状改善率评价患者治疗效果;术前、术后1周及1年摄X射线片及CT,观察椎体间高度、融合节段前凸弧度及植骨融合情况。 结果与结论：术后1周,碳纤维箱型Cage组术后的椎体间高度及腰椎前凸弧度的恢复值与钛合金螺纹状Cage组差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05);术后1年,碳纤维箱型Cage组椎体间高度及腰椎前凸弧度的恢复值高于钛合金螺纹状Cage组(P < 0.01)。两组患者术后1年均获得骨性融合,临床症状缓解良好,下腰痛症状改善率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05)。结果表明,应用碳纤维箱型Cage与钛合金螺纹状Cage行椎间融合联合椎弓根内固定系统治疗腰椎不稳症,二者在缓解下腰部疼痛及植骨融合方面效果显著,但碳纤维箱型Cage行椎间融合联合椎弓根内固定系统行后路腰椎融合术可以维持较好的椎体间高度及腰椎前凸弧度。 关键词：椎间融合术;椎间融合器;腰椎不稳症;内固定系统;碳纤维箱型Cage;钛合金螺纹状Cage     

Chronic subdural haematoma complicating spinal anaesthesia

Abstract Cranial subdural haematoma formation following spinal anaesthesia is exceptionally rare. A 38-year-old male developed headache two days after testicular surgery under spinal anaesthesia. The headache progressed in spite of analgesics, and three weeks later cranial CT showed a large chronic subdural haematoma in the left fronto-parietal region. The patient improved after surgical decompression. The pathogenesis of subdural haematoma formation after dural puncture is discussed and the literature briefly reviewed. Prolonged and severe post-dural puncture headache should be viewed with suspicion and investigated promptly to rule out any intracranial complication.     

Does lumbar cerebrospinal fluid reflect ventricular cerebrospinal fluid? A prospective study in patients with external ventricular drainage

Ventriculitis may sometimes occur after an external ventricular drain has been removed, and diagnosis has to be made by lumbar puncture. But are the lumbar findings comparable to previously obtained ventricular results? In a prospective study, sample pairs of ventricular and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were obtained at an interval of <30 min in 25 patients with increased intracranial pressure suffering from cerebral hemorrhage (n = 15), meningitis/encephalitis (n = 6), cerebral infarction (n = 3), and meningeosis carcinomatosa (n = 1). CSF was analyzed for protein, albumin, IgG, IgA, IgM, glucose, lactate, and leukocytes including cytological differentiation. A significant ventriculo-lumbar increase was observed for protein, albumin, and the immunoglobulins. Lactate was distributed equally in ventricular and lumbar CSF, as well as glucose in the cerebral hemorrhage subgroup (n = 15). Cell count failed to show a clear ventriculo-lumbar ratio. Cytological distribution was comparable in lumbar and ventricular CSF, except for macrophages showing a significant rostrocaudal decrease. In conclusion, in cases of clinically suspected bacterial central nervous system infection after removal of an external ventricular drain, lumbar CSF lactate, glucose, and cytology are comparable to previously determined ventricular values, and thus may help physicians to choose the best treatment.     

Diagnostic spinal anaesthesia in chronic spinal cord injury pain.

In a double blind study, 21 patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) pain underwent placement of a lumbar subarachnoid catheter and injection of placebo and lidocaine. The effects on pain intensity, distribution, altered sensations and sensory level of anaesthesia were monitored. Four patients responded briefly to placebo, while 13 demonstrated a mean reduction of pain intensity of 37.8 +/- 37% for a mean duration of 123.1 +/- 95.3 minutes in response to lidocaine. The pain response to subarachnoid lidocaine differed significantly (p less than 0.01) from placebo. Spinal anaesthesia was also associated with changes in pain distribution and altered sensation. A spinal anaesthetic-induced sensory level could not be achieved cephalad to the sensory level of neurological injury in 5 patients who presented with spinal canal obstruction. This study has demonstrated that response to diagnostic spinal anaesthesia in chronic SCI pain is complex, requiring individual interpretation in each patient and consideration of the following factors; symptomatology, etiology, pain perception, spinal canal anatomy, CSF chemistry and local anaesthetic pharmacology.     

非交通性脑积水神经内镜术后腰椎穿刺的重要性

目的探讨非交通性脑积水病人在神经内镜下行第三脑室底造瘘术(ETV)后腰椎穿刺的重要性。方法回顾性分析39例非交通性脑积水病人ETV术后的临床资料,均表现为颅高压;根据年龄分为儿童组(34例)和成人组(5例),均隔日一次行腰椎穿刺,测量和记录颅内压变化。结果儿童组ETV后早期颅内压降至正常范围后持续升高,于第3天达高峰,其后呈下降趋势,于第11天恢复正常;成人组ETV后早期颅内压明显降低后逐渐升高,第5天达高峰,余变化趋势同儿童组。两组各时间点腰椎穿刺初、末压差别均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。随访1年,儿童组腰椎穿刺治疗有效31例,无效3例;成人组腰椎穿刺治疗有效4例,无效1例。腰椎穿刺治疗无效的4例病人均再次行脑室-腹腔分流术。结论 ETV后腰椎穿刺有利于蛛网膜下腔和蛛网膜颗粒的开放,减少脑脊液流动阻力,提高其顺应性和缓冲能力,重建脑脊液循环。     

Treatment of acute hydrocephalus after subarachnoid hemorrhage with serial lumbar puncture

Computed tomography demonstrated acute hydrocephalus less than or equal to 72 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage in 24 (23%) of 104 patients. Of these 24 patients, six (25%) had no impairment of consciousness. In nine (11%) of the remaining 80 patients, acute hydrocephalus developed within 1 week after subarachnoid hemorrhage. With the exception of three patients, all 104 patients received antifibrinolytic treatment. Delayed clinical deterioration from acute hydrocephalus occurred in seven (29%) of the 24 patients with acute hydrocephalus on admission and in six (8%) of the remaining 80 patients. Serial lumbar puncture was performed in 17 patients. Twelve (71%) of the 17 patients treated with serial lumbar puncture, including 10 (77%) of the 13 patients with delayed deterioration from acute hydrocephalus after admission, achieved improvement in the level of consciousness. Four of these 17 patients (4% of all 104 patients) required an internal shunt. No patient deteriorated from coning following serial lumbar puncture. The rebleeding rate within 12 days after subarachnoid hemorrhage in hydrocephalic patients with serial lumbar puncture was not higher than the rate in those without hydrocephalus (two [12%] of 17 versus nine [13%] of 71). Neither meningitis nor ventriculitis was observed. We conclude that if neither a hematoma with a mass effect nor an obstructive element exists, cerebrospinal fluid drainage with serial lumbar puncture is a good alternative to ventricular drainage in patients with acute hydrocephalus after subarachnoid hemorrhage.     

蛛网膜下腔出血腰椎穿刺术后患者体位管理新模式的应用效果分析

目的 探讨体位管理新模式在蛛网膜下腔出血患者腰椎穿刺术后的应用效果。方法 选取2021年2—12月在首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院神经外科住院治疗,并在局部麻醉下行腰椎穿刺术的蛛网膜下腔出血患者（改良Fisher分级0～Ⅱ级）作为研究对象。采用随机数字表法将患者分为试验组和对照组。试验组采用穿刺后体位管理新模式进行护理,对照组接受穿刺后常规护理。对两组干预后即刻（4 h）和短期（24 h）头部、腰背部疼痛发生率,疼痛严重程度,以及术后24 h患者满意度等指标进行比较。结果 试验组和对照组腰椎穿刺术后4 h(41.2%vs. 37.5%,P=0.627)和术后24 h(25.0%vs. 22.5%,P=0.710)头痛发生率的差异均不具有统计学意义,头痛严重程度分级的差异亦均无统计学意义（P=0.533,P=0.685）;对照组术后4 h(50.0%vs. 27.5%,P=0.003)和24 h(37.5%vs. 22.5%,P=0.038)腰背痛的发生率均显著高于试验组,且两组术后4 h和24 h腰背痛的疼痛程度分级差异亦均有统计学意义（P=0.005,P=0.033）。术后24 h对照...     

Abducens palsy after lumbar puncture.

OBJECTIVE: We report the case of a 43-year-old patient with neuralgic shoulder amyotrophy who developed abducens palsy on the left 4 days after diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP), which recovered completely within 4 months. RESULTS: Side effects after spinal tap are due to prolonged spinal fluid leakage and delayed closure of a dural defect causing intracranial hypotension. Downward 'sagging' of the brain and traction on cranial nerves may lead to abducens palsy. This case and a review of the literature illustrate the higher risk with the use of large-size traumatic needles in LP for cranial sixth nerve palsies. CONCLUSION: The presented case emphasizes the use of atraumatic small-size needles for lumbar puncture.     

Objective and subjective side effects of research lumbar punctures in children and adolescents

Lumbar punctures are a common clinical procedure in pediatric populations, yet little systematic information about side effects or the child's perspective of the procedure is available. In a subset (n = 20) of a sample of children and adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders, we recorded children's ratings of research lumbar puncture in comparison to other hospital experiences of blood sampling, electroencephalography, and going to school. Lumbar puncture did not differ from the other procedures in terms of preference. (School attendance was the last choice of 50% of our patients.) Postlumbar puncture headache occurred in 13 of 60 (22%) patients (age 6.5-19.8 years). Adults may overestimate the relative noxiousness of lumbar punctures in children.     

An attempt to use Gore-Tex surgical membrane in lumbar disc surgery

BACKGROUND: Peridural fibrosis developing after lumbar discectomy may be responsible for as much as 20% of all Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. A variety of biological and non-biological materials have been used as a barrier to invasion of fibrous tissue into the vertebral canal. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) surgical membrane (Gore-Tex membrane) to inhibit peridural fibrosis and reduce FBSS symptoms after lumbar discectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective study we compared postoperative results in 20 patients who had an ePTFE membrane implanted during lumbar discectomy with the results in 20 patients in whom no material was implanted. The outcomes were evaluated using a questionnaire on activities of daily living according to the Low Back Outcome Score, pain grading scale -- Visual Analog Scale, assessment of Lasegue sign and MRI 18-24 months after the operation for all patients. RESULTS: The authors found no evident positive clinical and radiological effects of using ePTFE surgical membrane during lumbar discectomy. CONCLUSIONS: 1. It is impossible to prove that ePTFE membrane used during lumbar discectomy essentially prevents postoperative peridural scar formation. 2. The use of ePTFE membrane does not improve the outcome of the surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation.     

Spontaneous spinal epidural abscess in a neonate

Spinal epidural abscess is uncommon in neonates and infants, and is usually related to previous lumbar puncture or epidural anaesthesia. Diagnosis is often delayed because of the non-specific presentation. We present a 7-week-old girl who developed paraplegia 3 weeks after transient fever and a self-limiting skin rash. MR imaging revealed an epidural contrast-enhancing lesion compressing the spinal cord. At operation, an organised granulated abscess was identified with Staphylococcus aureus the causative organism. Laminectomy and removal of the organised abscess and systemic intravenous antibiotics resulted in complete neurological recovery. The patient did not develop late spinal deformity following the decompressive laminectomy. The rapid onset of paraplegia can often be missed in such a young child but should be promptly investigated, as surgical treatment of cord compression carries an excellent prognosis for neurological recovery. We review the literature on the initial presentation, usual investigations, causative organisms and surgical management of paediatric spinal epidural abscesses.     

Lumbar epidural hematoma following lumbar puncture: the role of high dose LMWH and late surgery. A case report

Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a known complication of spinal surgery, but the incidence of post-surgical SEHs that result in neurologic deficits is extremely rare (0.1%). Patients that require multilevel lumbar procedures and/or have a preoperative coagulopathy are at a significantly higher risk of developing an epidural hematoma. The introduction of higher dose of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) twice daily 30 mg regimen) increased the reported incidence of neuroaxial hematomas. Surgery performed within 8 hours makes good or partial recovery of neurologic function. Our patient was also started on higher dose of LMWH and developed neurological deficits due to a SEH following lumbar puncture. She underwent operation after six days and she had a mild recovery following the operation. Current administration of high doses of LMWH can cause SEH even after a lumbar puncture, which was performed without multiple attempts. Although surgery performed within 8 hours makes good or partial recovery of neurologic function, laminectomy and epidural hematoma evacuation performed after three days can also have successful results.     

Determinants of lumbar CSF protein concentration

Objective To determine factors influencing the wide variation of protein concentration in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Methods Patient variables with potential influence on spinal CSF flow and resorption were measured in different patient settings and compared with albumin and IgG CSF/serum quotients. Results In patients whose diagnostic lumbar puncture produces normal CSF the albumin quotient increased with body mass index (r = 0.408), abdominal circumference (r = 0.399), and body weight (r = 0.317), age-corrected with partial correlation. Body motion before lumbar puncture showed only marginal influence on albumin quotient. In patients with radiculography the albumin quotient decreased with iodine contrast medium elimination from spinal subarachnoid space (r = -0.598) and increased with narrowing of lumbosacral spinal canal (r = 0.515). Conclusion Correlation of albumin quotient with body mass index and related variables may be mediated by spinal CSF resorption, which should be impaired in overweight patients with elevated venous pressure. Negative correlation of albumin quotient with iodine resorption from spinal CSF supports this assumption. Correlation of albumin quotient with narrowing of lumbosacral canal should be due to slowed spinal CSF flow which does increase protein concentration. Tested variables explain part of variation of CSF protein concentration. Other variables like blood-CSF barrier permeability and pulsatile spinal CSF flow should have additional influence. Received: 5 September 2001 Received in revised form: 6 February 2002 Accepted: 7 February 2002     

Subdural engraftment of serotonergic neurons following spinal hemisection restores spinal serotonin, downregulates serotonin transporter, and increases BDNF tissue content in rat

Spinal hemisection injury at T13 results in development of permanent mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia due to interruption and subsequent loss of descending inhibitory modulators such as serotonin (5-HT) and its transporter (5-HT(T)). We hypothesize that lumbar transplantation of non-mitotic cells that tonically secrete 5-HT and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) will restore alterations in 5-HT and 5-HT(T) systems within the spinal dorsal horn. We used an immortalized rat neuronal cell line derived from E13 raphe (RN46A-B14) which is shown to secrete 5-HT and BDNF in vitro and in vivo. Three groups (n=35) of 30 day old male Sprague-Dawley rats were spinally hemisected at T13 and 28 days later received either lumbar RN46A-V1 control empty-vector (n=15) or RN46A-B14 (n=15) intrathecal grafts, or no transplant. Twenty-eight days following transplantation, animals were perfused and tissue examined for changes in 5-HT, 5-HT(T), and BDNF at the site of transplantation or at lumbar enlargements (L5). Immunohistochemistry revealed that RN46A-B14, but not RN46A-V1 cells, increased 5-HT tissue staining at L5 in the dorsal white matter as well as in superficial dorsal horn laminae I and II on both ipsilateral and contralateral sides, results confirmed by ELISA. Transplantation of RN46A-B14 cells significantly reduced ipsilateral 5-HT(T), upregulated after injury. Significantly increased levels of BDNF were also observed after RN46A-B14 transplantation but were not localized to particular spinal laminae. These results are consistent with recovery of locomotor function and reductions in chronic pain behaviors observed behaviorally after RN46A-B14 transplantation and supports the pragmatic application of cell-based therapies in correcting damaged circuitry after spinal cord injury.