Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2026

International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
Published on: March 12, 2020
Lumbar puncture associated with pneumocephalus: report of a case
Grzegorz P Kozikowski1, Steven P Cohen
1Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Management Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
Unlabelled:
Pneumocephalus is a well known complication of spinal and epidural anesthesia, but it is extremely rare after diagnostic or therapeutic lumbar puncture. This uncommonness can obscure the clinical diagnosis and lead to unnecessary procedures and prolonged patient discomfort. We report a 72-yr-old woman with normal pressure hydrocephalus who underwent an unremarkable lumbar puncture that was complicated by a postprocedure pneumocephalus that manifested as a continuous headache. The pneumocephalus resolved spontaneously after 4 days. Possible mechanisms for this occurrence, along with steps that can be taken to prevent this complication, are discussed.
Implications:
We report a case of symptomatic pneumocephalus in a woman with normal pressure hydrocephalus after an unremarkable lumbar puncture. The possible mechanisms for this occurrence, along with steps that can be taken to prevent this complication, are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Pneumothorax-I
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment
Brain Abscess l: Introduction
Pneumothorax II: Pathophysiology
Pneumonia I: Introduction