Prospective evaluation of clinical and laboratory effects of intrathecal chemotherapy on children with acute leukemia.

The objective of this prospective 18-month study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory effects of repeated intrathecal injections of chemotherapy in children with acute leukemia. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia, and complications were prospectively recorded. Laboratory measurements included lumbar puncture opening pressure, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) chemistry, and cell count and morphology.