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. 2017 Apr 7;2017(4):CD010807. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010807.pub2

Harrison 1993.

Methods

  • Design: parallel‐group (2 arms)

  • Country: Canada

  • Multisite: no

  • Needle tip used: unclear

  • Needle diameter used: 22 G versus 27 G

  • Number of attempts: unknown

  • Procedure: myelography

  • Site of the puncture: upper lumbar

  • Training level of those who administered the puncture: radiology residents

  • Median or paramedian technique: unclear

  • Patient position: supine position
Participants 1. 128 patients referred to lumbar, thoracic, cervical or total column myelography were included
128 patients assigned to:

  • 22 G group: 64 (50%)

  • 25 G group: 64 (50%)


2. 15 patients were lost to follow‐up and excluded from analysis
3. Main characteristics of patients:

  • Age (mean): 22 G group: 52.9; 25 G group: 53.4

  • Gender ‐ male (number): not reported

  • Height (mean, SD): not reported

  • Weight (mean, SD): not reported
Interventions

  1. 22 G group: no further details were provided

  2. 25 G group: no further details were provided
Outcomes Outcomes were not classified as primary or secondary

  1. Headache after lumbar puncture

  2. Severity of headache
Notes

  1. Trial registration: not stated

  2. Funder: not stated

  3. Role of funder: not stated

  4. A priori sample size estimation: no

  5. Conducted: 1989 to 1990

  6. Declared conflicts of interest: not stated
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) High risk Quote: "Patients were numbered sequentially: in even‐numbered patients a 22 gauge needle was used and for odd‐numbered patients, a 25 gauge needle " (page 487)
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Insufficient information to score this item as low or high risk of bias
Blinding of participants (performance bias) Unclear risk Insufficient information to score this item as low or high risk of bias
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Insufficient information to score this item as low or high risk of bias
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk 11% of patients (15) were lost to follow‐up
Selective reporting (reporting bias) High risk Adverse events, additional to PDPH, were not reported
Other bias Low risk No other biases were identified