need help with spinal tap/ csf aspirate

[AKMD_1984]

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dear neurologists,

i’m a boarded and fellowship trained pain/anesthesia doc. my practice is 50-50 anesthesia and pain

i work at a diagnostic center where i do pain injections and also inject dye for arthrograms, myelograms etc.

now one of the community neurologists has asked me to perform csf aspirate - need opening pressure, labs etc.

i’ve never done this.

i usually do the spinals in prone position under x ray guidance

my question is when a neurologist is asking for this, what are they typically looking for? and are there any kits i need to purchase?

and how do these things reimburse?

the neurologist tells me that he doesn’t want do it as it’s too labor intensive (likely for his setup without fluoro and in clinic) - what exactly does this entail?

do i need to see these patients prior to injecting for a clinic visit?

regards

 

[CopaceticOne]

dear neurologists,

i’m a boarded and fellowship trained pain/anesthesia doc. my practice is 50-50 anesthesia and pain

i work at a diagnostic center where i do pain injections and also inject dye for arthrograms, myelograms etc.

now one of the community neurologists has asked me to perform csf aspirate - need opening pressure, labs etc.

i’ve never done this.

i usually do the spinals in prone position under x ray guidance

my question is when a neurologist is asking for this, what are they typically looking for? and are there any kits i need to purchase?

and how do these things reimburse?

the neurologist tells me that he doesn’t want do it as it’s too labor intensive (likely for his setup without fluoro and in clinic) - what exactly does this entail?

do i need to see these patients prior to injecting for a clinic visit?

regards

For measuring opening pressures, the patient needs to be lateral. It can be time consuming to collect the CSF depending on the flow rate out of the spinal needle. I’ve never seen anyone actually aspirate CSF.

Check out CPT 62270, 62272.

In my neck of the woods, these patients are sent to IR if the neurologist isn’t doing them.

Edit: In terms of supplies, I’ve used kits similar to Lumbar Puncture Tray - McKesson and https://www.cardinalhealth.com/en/p...agnostic-procedures/lumbar-puncture-tray.html

 

[AKMD_1984]

For measuring opening pressures, the patient needs to be lateral. It can be time consuming to collect the CSF depending on the flow rate out of the spinal needle. I’ve never seen anyone actually aspirate CSF.

Check out CPT 62270, 62272.

In my neck of the woods, these patients are sent to IR if the neurologist isn’t doing them.

Edit: In terms of supplies, I’ve used kits similar to Lumbar Puncture Tray - McKesson and https://www.cardinalhealth.com/en/p...agnostic-procedures/lumbar-puncture-tray.html

thank you sir