title: Evidence-based lumbar puncture: best practice to prevent headache.
abstract: Lumbar puncture is routinely used to access cerebrospinal fluid. Headache is the most common complication, and can be debilitating. The risk of headache is related to age, sex, needle size and shape, and lumbar puncture procedure. Doctors continue to use 20 G bevelled needles followed by bed rest, although overwhelming evidence supports use of 22 G atraumatic needles with no bed rest.
authors.affiliation: Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Huddersfield HD3 3EA.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods