Is first attempt at pediatric lumbar puncture more successful with ultrasound guidance?
BEEM Bottom Line
Why is this study important?
Lumbar puncture (LP) is a routine emergency department (ED) procedure whether obtaining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to diagnose meningitis or measuring opening pressure to diagnose benign intracranial hypertension. Regardless of the clinical scenario, first attempt LP failures are common and can lead to repeat LP attempts, delays to diagnosis, unnecessary antibiotic therapy and even hospital admission. This study aimed to determine if ultrasound-assisted-LP (UALP) has a higher probability of first-attempt success of obtaining a non-bloody CSF sample compared to standard LP (SLP) using palpation for landmark identification.
Which, if any, threats to validity are most likely to have an impact on the results and how?
Thank you for your interest in the BEEM Journal!
To read the rest of this article or to access the entire collection of BEEM Critical Appraisals, please purchase a subscription at the link below.
If you would like a pre-view, click here to view some sample articles
- Article Number
- 170501
- Research Question
- Is it safe to rule out acute pulmonary embolism with stand-alone D-dimer testing below 750 µg/L?
- Article Number
- 160404
- Research Question
- What are the latest recommendations for the management of venous thromboembolism?
- Article Number
- 160205
- Research Question
- How well does oblique angle chest X-ray identify occult pneumothorax in trauma patients?
- Article Number
- 160101
- Research Question
- Is continuous positive airway pressure by helmet effective in the treatment of infants with bronchiolitis?
Premium Content Available Through Subscription
BEEM is a knowledge translation project which aims to extract the most recent, EM relevant, and valid evidence from the volumes of available medical research and deliver it to EM practitioners in an easily consumable format to help guide their clinical practice. This valuable distilled information provided by BEEM is available through BEEM's accredited CME courses or through our online journal.
A BEEM Journal Subscription will provide you with unlimited access to our entire collection of Critical Appraisals for 1 year.