Lumbar Puncture Procedure
Various medicines have been developed to cure human of deadly diseases and lumbar puncture is one of them. Through lumbar puncture a needle is put inside the lower back portion and the fluid that is present in the spinal cord is taken out for pathological tests. Specially trained doctors or nurses carry out this test. It is a great treatment for anyone and everyone who is suffering from this disease. Cancer is a traumatic disease and lumbar puncture is an improved method which helps one to fight it, face it and definitely get rid of it.
What is the procedure?
When the lumbar puncture procedure is carried out chemotherapy can be given. Actually the therapy is given in the fluid present in the spinal cord. This is known as Intrathecal chemotherapy. There are various reasons as why should a patient go in for lumbar puncture. The doctors know the fluid that is present between the brain and the spinal cord as cerebrospinal fluid generally referred as CSF. It is the fluid that protects the brain as well as the spinal cord from any type of injury.
Doctors become alert when any sort of change is noticed in the fluid. When such a situation arises then the brain and the spinal cord gets infected by some diseases. During this stage lumbar puncture is done as a part of intrathecal chemotherapy to know the actual reason of the disease. Sometimes cancer cells get passed on to the spinal cord and effects it and the brain. Through lumbar puncture the doctor makes a study of the CSF as whether or not cancer cells are present in it.
What drugs are given?
While intrathecal chemotherapy is carried out chemotherapy drugs are given to the CSF with the help of an injection. This is done for patients who are suffering from cancer in CSF are done just for a precautionary method. The intrathecalchemotherapy prevents the spread of cancer cells in the CSF. Lumbar puncture is also carried out to take some special x-rays so that the doctors can carry out their special research about the patient and the disease.
Sometimes lumbar puncture as a part of intrathecal chemotherapy is done to facilitate the doctor carry out some special type of surgery. When such type of surgery is carried on then the medicine is injected into the areas surrounding the spinal cord. But before the surgery is carried out the doctors have to take the consent of the patient as well as explain the necessity of carrying out the surgery. A separate permission has to be taken if chemotherapy is also done along with it.
Is the procedure Painful?
The procedure of lumbar puncture is not very painful though some patients find the whole procedure of intrathecal chemotherapy very painful. Many complain of headache after the whole surgery. Post-operative care is very essential and one should abide by the instructions of the doctors. Blood pressure and pulse should be totally under control. To control the headache the doctors may prescribe some painkillers. But you should take the right step.