[Post lumbar puncture syndrome and the manner of needle insertion]

We have analysed the correlation between the direction of needle bevel insertion and the occurrence of post-puncture syndrome appearing after diagnostic lumbar puncture. Post-puncture headache was observed in 38 of 380 patients (13.6%). The syndrome occurred in 11 patients (7.9%) in whom the needle bevel had been inserted parallel to the patient's backbone and in 27 patients (19.3%) in whom the needle bevel had been inserted perpendicularly to the backbone. The complications after lumbar puncture could be reduced by inserting the needle bevel parallel to the patient's backbone.