Lumbar Puncture and Brain Herniation in Acute Bacterial Meningitis: An Updated Narrative Review

The risk of lumbar puncture (LP) to precipitate brain herniation in acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) was reviewed in this journal in 2007. We report the case of an infant with ABM who had acute apnea requiring intubation and tonic posturing (mistaken for seizure), and then had brain herniation within four hours of an LP. The case prompted this updated narrative review, from 2007 to 2024, focused on the twelve points made in 2007. The review included 14 case reports of brain herniation shortly after LP in ABM, 23 observational studies or systematic reviews, 28 narrative reviews, and 9 guidelines, each with evidence, advice, or recommendations important for the decision to perform LP in ABM. We found evidence to support, and did not find convincing evidence to refute, the twelve points. We found five additional claims made that were meant to refute some of the original points; however, these were based upon data that did not support the claims made. Limitation of the evidence reviewed was the absence of randomized trials to prove whether those patients who herniated may have been destined to herniate regardless of whether they had an LP. Reasons why ABM may be a unique circumstance where normal CT scan cannot determine the risk of herniation after an LP were discussed. We argue that the preponderance of evidence supported the conclusion that, in a patient with strongly suspected ABM who is clinically considered at high risk for herniation, interventions to control ICP and antibiotics administration should be the priority, followed secondarily by an urgent CT scan and, even with a normal CT, not an LP. The case report emphasized that respiratory arrest or suspected tonic seizure can be due to early herniation, and indicate CT scan, and prolonged LP deferral (for 3-4 days) even with a normal CT.