Abstract:

Post-lumbar puncture headache is the most common complication of lumbar puncture. This condition is thought to be the result of persistent cerebrospinal fluid leakage at the puncture site, leading to low cerebrospinal fluid pressure and traction on the meninges and intracranial veins. Associated symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, auditory and vestibular symptoms. Meningeal irritation signs are unexpected as clinical findings unless serious medical conditions such as subarachnoid hemorrhage or meningitis occur. We are present a case of headache and meningismus following by lumbar puncture. A 17-year-old female presented to the emergency department suffering from headache, nausea and vomiting, starting one day after a lumbar puncture procedure. The characteristics of the headache were different and more severe than the previous form. Her vital signs and physical and detailed neurological examination were normal, except meningismus findings such as neck stiffness and Brudzinksy’s sign. Since the meningismus findings were unexpected, lumbar puncture was performed again to diagnose meningitis and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebrospinal fluid pressure, protein, glucose, microscopic examination, blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures were normal. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed no pathological meningeal enhancement. In patients harboring uncontrollable factors, variables such as needle size, bevel orientation and the avoidance of traumatic lumbar puncture should be taken into consideration more seriously than ever. Furthermore, since, meningeal irritation signs such as neck stiffness and Brudzinksy’s and Kernig’s signs are not the expected clinical findings of post-lumbar puncture headache, serious medical conditions such as subarachnoid hemorrhage and meningeal infections should be investigated in the emergency setting

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