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.


CONCLUSIONS
The presented case emphasizes the use of atraumatic small-size needles for lumbar puncture.
Niedermüller
U
U
Universitätsklinik für Neurologie, Anichstr 35, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria. ulrike.meisel@uibk.ac.at
Trinka
E
E
Bauer
G
G
D020434:Abducens Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D020222:Abducens Nerve Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D012307:Risk Factors; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects*