Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Puncture Course Manchester

Develop the anatomical, ultrasound and procedural skills required to perform ultrasound-assisted and ultrasound-guided lumbar puncture more confidently, particularly in patients with difficult or poorly palpable anatomical landmarks. This focused, hands-on training programme is delivered by Kung Medics and combines relevant anatomy, ultrasound image acquisition, procedural planning, sterile technique and simulation-based lumbar puncture practice in a small-group setting.

The course covers a structured approach to lumbar puncture including: understanding indications and contraindications, performing pre-procedure assessment, understanding lumbar spinal anatomy, selecting and optimising the ultrasound probe, identifying spinal landmarks using ultrasound, estimating needle insertion depth, selecting an appropriate puncture site, planning needle trajectory, maintaining aseptic technique, performing lumbar puncture on simulation models, measuring opening pressure, collecting cerebrospinal fluid correctly, recognising complications, and providing appropriate post-procedure care.

Candidates learn commonly used ultrasound scanning approaches including transverse scanning, longitudinal or paramedian scanning, identification of the sacrum as an anatomical reference, counting lumbar interspaces, marking an appropriate puncture level, and estimating required needle depth. The course explains the distinction between ultrasound-assisted lumbar puncture (where ultrasound is used to identify and mark the site before needle insertion) and real-time ultrasound-guided approaches.

What you will learn:
• Understanding the indications for lumbar puncture and recognising contraindications• Identifying spinal landmarks using ultrasound, including the midline and intervertebral spaces• Estimating needle insertion depth and selecting an appropriate puncture site• Planning needle trajectory and maintaining aseptic technique• Performing lumbar puncture on simulation models and measuring opening pressure• Collecting and handling cerebrospinal fluid correctly• Recognising complications and providing appropriate post-procedure care• Developing a systematic approach to difficult lumbar puncture in patients with obesity, poorly palpable landmarks, or previous spinal procedures