Biomaterial Database

Is obligatory bed rest after lumbar puncture obsolete? 1985

M Dieterich, and T Brandt

After lumbar puncture (LP) an epidural CSF leakage caused by delayed closure of a dural defect leads to a decrease in CSF pressure. The resultant venous dilatation as well as downward shift of the brain with traction on pain-sensitive blood vessels and nerves frequently evokes post-lumbar puncture headache (PLPH), when the patient assumes the upright position. In previous studies differing opinions have been expressed about the prophylactic value of the posture taken by the patient after LP. The present study was designed to evaluate the benefit of the decrease of hydrostatic CSF pressure on the dural rent, when the patient lies down in a prone position with the head tilted down at an angle of 10 degrees for 30 min immediately after LP: is it possible to accelerate the closure of the dural defect in this way and prevent PLPH? One group of patients (n = 78) lay in a prone position with the head tilted down at an angle of 10 degrees for 30 min, the other group (n = 82) rose immediately after LP. PLPH was found to be independent of the posture in both groups and affected 44% and 41% of the patients, respectively, so that there is no longer any justification for requiring patients to remain in bed after LP.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009103	Multiple Sclerosis	An autoimmune disorder mainly affecting young adults and characterized by destruction of myelin in the central nervous system. Pathologic findings include multiple sharply demarcated areas of demyelination throughout the white matter of the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include visual loss, extra-ocular movement disorders, paresthesias, loss of sensation, weakness, dysarthria, spasticity, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction. The usual pattern is one of recurrent attacks followed by partial recovery (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, RELAPSING-REMITTING), but acute fulminating and chronic progressive forms (see MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE) also occur. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p903)	MS (Multiple Sclerosis),Multiple Sclerosis, Acute Fulminating,Sclerosis, Disseminated,Disseminated Sclerosis,Sclerosis, Multiple
D009339	Needles	Sharp instruments used for puncturing or suturing.	Hypodermic Needles,Hypodermic Needle,Needle,Needle, Hypodermic,Needles, Hypodermic
D011187	Posture	The position or physical attitude of the body.	Postures
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D004434	Early Ambulation	Procedure to accelerate the ability of a patient to walk or move about by reducing the time to AMBULATION. It is characterized by a shorter period of hospitalization or recumbency than is normally practiced.	Ambulation, Early,Early Mobilization,Accelerated Ambulation,Ambulation, Accelerated,Mobilization, Early
D005260	Female		Females
D006261	Headache	The symptom of PAIN in the cranial region. It may be an isolated benign occurrence or manifestation of a wide variety of HEADACHE DISORDERS.	Cephalgia,Hemicrania,Bilateral Headache,Cephalalgia,Cephalodynia,Cranial Pain,Generalized Headache,Head Pain,Ocular Headache,Orthostatic Headache,Periorbital Headache,Retro-Ocular Headache,Sharp Headache,Throbbing Headache,Unilateral Headache,Vertex Headache,Bilateral Headaches,Cephalalgias,Cephalgias,Cephalodynias,Cranial Pains,Generalized Headaches,Head Pains,Headache, Bilateral,Headache, Generalized,Headache, Ocular,Headache, Orthostatic,Headache, Periorbital,Headache, Retro-Ocular,Headache, Sharp,Headache, Throbbing,Headache, Unilateral,Headache, Vertex,Headaches,Headaches, Bilateral,Headaches, Generalized,Headaches, Ocular,Headaches, Orthostatic,Headaches, Periorbital,Headaches, Retro-Ocular,Headaches, Sharp,Headaches, Throbbing,Headaches, Unilateral,Headaches, Vertex,Ocular Headaches,Orthostatic Headaches,Pain, Cranial,Pain, Head,Pains, Cranial,Pains, Head,Periorbital Headaches,Retro Ocular Headache,Retro-Ocular Headaches,Sharp Headaches,Throbbing Headaches,Unilateral Headaches,Vertex Headaches
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man