When to do a lumbar puncture in a neonate

Abstract

Lumbar punctures or spinal taps are performed for either diagnostic or therapeutic reasons. The procedure in the neonate, however, is not without risk and the costs can outweigh the benefits. Stated indications for lumbar puncture range from routine sepsis work up to a more conservative approach reserving the procedure for the investigation of very ill babies. There is little consenses of opinion and no controlled trials comparing outcomes when different indications for lumbar puncture have been used.