title: Abducens palsy after lumbar puncture.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Neurologie, Anichstr 35, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria. ulrike.meisel@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Niedermüller
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trinka
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: 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*