Lumbar Punctures

A lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, is when a needle is inserted between two lumbar vertebrae to remove a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid is the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord and brain to protect them from injuries. Lumbar punctures are done to help diagnose several serious infections, cancers of the spinal cord or brain, and other disorders of the central nervous system. Occasionally lumbar punctures into the cerebrospinal fluid are used to inject chemotherapy medications.