A Clinical Study of Postlumbar-Puncture Headaches

The onset and persistence of headache following spinal puncture is a continual problem to physicians who perform this procedure. There is considerable evidence that headaches following spinal puncture result from low cerebrospinal fluid pressure caused by leakage through the puncture in the dural sac. The author has studied the value and consequences of prophylactic autologous epidural blood patch in postlumbar-puncture headaches. Fifty patients undergoing myelography received prophylactic autologous epidural blood patches to prevent postlumbar-puncture headache; the results indicate a significant reduction in the incidence and severity of this problem compared to a control group, without any significant side effects. Based on the results of this study, author believes that epidural blood patch is a safe and effective procedure of prophylaxis and treatment for postlumbar-puncture headache.