LUMBAR PUNCTURE Flashcards
CSF PRESSURE and composition of disease
INCREASE IN PRESSURE - due to meningitis or an increase in volume of the brain produced by edema, tumor formation, a cerebral abscess or presence of hematoma
CLOUDY FLUID usually indicates the presence of PMNs or an excessive quantity of protein
INCREASE IN WBCs wouod suggest inflammation of the meninges or encephalitis
INCREASE IN PROTEIN CONTENT implies a change in vascular permeability
For CSf analysis
Measure CSF pressure
Introduce therapeutic agents, anesthetics and contrast media
Usually done at L3-L4 or L4-L5
Lumbar puncture
Inflammation of the meninges caused by VIRAL or BACTERIAL INFECTION
VIRAL is milder and occurs more often than bacterial but bacterial type is an extremely serious illness and may result in brain damage or death
Fungi, chemical irritation and drug allergies may also cause meningitis
Meningitis
Symptoms of meningitis
Fever Headache Stiff neck Brain swelling Shock Convulsions Nausea Vomiting
Bacterial CSF PATTERN IN MENINGITIS
WBC COUNT: >500-1000 (mostly PMN)
PROTEIN: high
GLUCOSE: low
Viral CSF PATTERN OF MENINGITIS
WBC COUNT:
