Ultrasound-assisted Lumbar Puncture in Infants

Lumbar punctures (LPs) are among the most commonly performed procedures in children in the emergency department. Bedside ultrasound is increasingly becoming a routine part of the emergency physician’s everyday practice. Traditional infant LPs can be challenging to perform because of physician inexperience and a child’s smaller anatomy. Ultrasound visualization of the spine is more easily performed in infants than adults and can provide useful information to help improve the success of the traditional blind lumbar puncture. This video (Video Clip S1) will guide the practitioner through the technique of performing ultrasound-assisted lumbar punctures in infants.