Comparison of cutting and pencil-point spinal needle in spinal anesthesia regarding postdural puncture headache A meta-analysis

Hong Xu, MD, Yang Liu, MD, WenYe song, MD, ShunLi Kan, MD, FeiFei Liu, MD, Di Zhang, MD

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29223694

Conclusions

Current evidences suggest that the pencil-point spinal needle was significantly superior compared with cutting spinal needle regarding the frequency of PDPH, PDPH severity, and the use of EBP. In view of this, we recommend the use of pencil-point spinal needle in spinal anesthesia and lumbar puncture.

Apart from the spinal needle size, spinal needle shape might be the most important modifiable risk factors of PDPH. And we consider pencil-point spinal needle another effective way to reduce the incidence of PDPH in spinal anesthesia and lumbar puncture.