puncture

A lumbar puncture is a test to check the fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal cord. This is called the cerebrospinal fluid or CSF. Why do I need a lumbar puncture? A lumbar puncture can check for cancer cells or for infection in the CSF. Doctors remove some of the CSF to test for cancer cells. They use a needle to take a sample of the CSF from your lower back. You normally have this test in the outpatient department under local anaesthetic. This means you are awake but the area is numb.  What Is a Lumbar puncture? A