If your baby is at risk of infection (for example if your baby is premature or the waters broke around baby at least 24 hours before delivery) or he/she is unwell a lumbar puncture may be included as part of the infection screen. A lumbar puncture is typically done to look for meningitis, an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Although meningitis is a rare occurrence it is important to detect and treat the condition as soon as possible.

A lumbar puncture is a procedure in which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is collected through a needle, and the CSF pressure is measured. This article will describe the procedure in simple terms and prepa... See similar questions...

Headache may occur in about 5% of people who undergo lumbar puncture. The following risks are rare (less than 1 %). They include infection, damage to nerves in the back and bleeding into the cerebral spinal fluid space. They are even less likely for people with Alzheimer's disease. See similar questions...

Lumbar instability involves excessive motion between vertebral segments. This motion may be caused by spinal fractures, tumors, infection, scoliosis or other bony abnormalities that weaken the architecture of the spine. When severe, the instability can cause incapacitating deformity or pain as a result of the structural changes. Instability can also lead to damage or inflammation of the nerve roots. Disc degeneration may cause more subtle instability and produce pain from repetitive motion. See similar questions...

All of our powered mobility vehicles with pneumatic tyres can have a puncture resistant filling in the innertube. This filling is about 90% effective on punctures, and unless it is a large hole it should seal the hole sufficiently to allow you to complete your journey. Any vehicle can be fitted with solid tyres so eliminating the possibility of a puncture, but it will make the ride a little less comfortable. See similar questions...

Tyre Protector forms a thin protective coating between the tyre and the air within the tyre. When a puncturing object penetrates the tyre, air pressure forces the sealant into the wound repairing the damage instantly and permanently. See similar questions...

Every parent knows their baby best. If you have a heavy wetter, we suggest changing more often – every 2-3 hours. If you have a light wetter – you can change your baby every 3-4 hours. See similar questions...

The Neonatal unit is located close to delivery suite and comprises of several rooms known as nurseries. The most common room for admission is the Intensive Room/Hot room. This is the largest of all the nurseries and can accommodate up to 7 babies. It has the most equipment necessary for close observation of your baby. See similar questions...

Simply put, we don't really know but this is a very controversial area. There is clearly some discomfort. Many studies have been done to try to ascertain how much pain the baby feels. These studies, however, reflect the clinical experience of hospital circumcisions, not traditional brisses that were done by mohels. There are other reasons why the baby will cry such as when his diaper comes off and he is exposed, and when he is held down. See similar questions...

Preeclampsia is responsible for 15% of premature births in the US each year. It is the leading known cause of preterm birth. According to the March of Dimes, in 2001, 476,250 infants were born prematurely...over half from unknown causes. Preeclampsia represents 30% of the known causes of prematurely--or approximately 70,000 premature births. See similar questions...

Lumbar fusion improves instability of the spine. As a disc degenerates and flattens, the vertebrae slip back and forth. This irritates the joints and creates or worsens stenosis (arthritis of the spine), irritating the nerves, causing back and leg pain. A bone graft is placed along the vertebrae and fuses or grows together with the vertebrae. See similar questions...

A herniated lumbar disc can press on the nerves in the spine and may cause pain, numbness, tingling or weakness of the leg, called sciatica. Most patients (80% - 90%) with an acute lumbar disc herniation improve without surgery. Surgery is less effective in relieving back pain, but for some patients, especially those with leg pain, surgery may be recommended. Surgery removes part of the herniated disc through a small incision, relieving the pressure on the nerve. See similar questions...

These diseases are common in other parts of the world and are just a plane ride away. If we stop vaccinating against these diseases, many more people will become infected. No. Breastfeeding offers temporary immunity against some minor infections like colds, but it is not an effective means of protecting a child from the specific diseases preventable by vaccines. The price paid for natural disease can include paralysis, retardation, liver cancer, deafness, blindness, or even death. See similar questions...

Some premature babies cannot breath on their own or need help to breath. These can deliver oxygen and air at the same time. Normally these machines can monitor the babies natural breathing and then force the baby to breath when needed. There is a vast range of these. These are used to help support the babies breathing and there are various models about. These can be just "forced" air at a very low rate so that the babies lungs open properly. See similar questions...

No, however it’s helpful if baby has been fed before the appointment, as they will be more relaxed. See similar questions...

Not necessarily. There are several reasons why your baby may need to be retested. Some of those reasons may include: See similar questions...

Stab- and puncture-resistant armors are made from a variety of materials. The most commonly used materials are made from extremely strong fibers, which can be either woven or laminated together. Other materials used are metals and composites. As the threat impacts the armor, the materials either deflect the threat or, due to their very high level of cut and/or tear resistance, they "stretch" and the impact forces are dissipated over a larger area of the armor. See similar questions...

Two types of material when present in the spinal column were the spinal nerve roots and spinal cord membranes are located (epidural space) produce severe scarring. Most scar producing is the presence of nucleus pulposus, which is the soft central part of the spinal discs. The next scar producing material is presence of blood in this space. Both of these materials are released in large quantities with lumbar laminectomy and open discectomy. See similar questions...

Most conversions put the LPG tank in the spare wheel well of the car so as not to reduce boot space. If you are unlucky enough to get a puncture all conversions are supplied with fully approved tyre foam. This reflates the tyre and seals the puncture until you can get it properly repaired. See similar questions...