Lumbar puncture

Question 1

What dos the needle pass through in lumbar puncture

Answer 1

Skin
Subcutaneous tissue
Supraspinous ligament
Interspinous ligament
Ligamentum flavum
Epidural fat and veins
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater

Question 2

What is lumbar puncture

Answer 2

Medical procedure where a needle is inserted into the lower spine.
Pressure is measured and samples of cerebrospinal fluid are taken from inside the spine for diagnostic testing

Question 3

Where is lumbar puncture performed

Answer 3

Lower than L1/L2 because:
The conus medullaris is at L1/L2
At these levels there are only mobile spinal nerve roots so there is a lower chance of neurological damage