Safety of lumbar puncture in patients with hemophilia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the safety of lumbar puncture in patients with hemophilia who are pretreated with clotting factor.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of medical records between 1980 and 1990.


METHODS
Three hospitals, each serving as a regional hemophilia center.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with hemophilia A or B who received one or more lumbar puncture.


METHODS
All patients received replacement of deficient factor before the lumbar puncture. Serious post-lumbar puncture complications were defined as motor or sensory deficits, incontinence, or documented intraspinal hemorrhage.


RESULTS
Thirty-three patients with hemophilia A or B received a total of 52 lumbar punctures during the study period. Thirty of 33 patients (91%) had severe baseline factor deficiency, two (6%) had moderate deficiency, and one (3%) had mild deficiency. There were no serious complications reported as a result of the lumbar puncture. The 95% confidence interval for the risk of a serious complication was 0% to 5.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
With adequate factor replacement, a lumbar puncture can be done safely in patients with hemophilia.
Silverman
R
R
Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Hyde Park, New York.
Kwiatkowski
T
T
Bernstein
S
S
Sanders
N
N
Hilgartner
M
M
Cahill-Bordas
M
M
Jackson
K
K
Lipton
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications*; D002836:Hemophilia B / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects