10 Side Effects of Spinal Taps
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
Side Effect #10: Epidermoid Cyst
An epidermoid cyst is a benign cyst originating from ectodermal tissue. While some patients may not experience any symptoms, others may feel pain and tenderness in the affected region.
Although rare, there are some cases where a spinal tap causes the implantation of epidermoid tissues into the spinal canal during the procedure, which may result in the development of an epidermoid cyst. The risk of an epidermoid cyst is higher when the procedure is performed using a needle without a stylet. Currently, this is an extremely rare occurrence as most spinal tap kits available today contain needles with stylets.
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