Lumbar punctures in thrombocytopenic children with cancer.

Introduction: Lumbar punctures (LP) in patients presenting thrombocytopenia are linked to the possibility of bleeding and spinal hematomas. The minimum platelet count required for the safe performance of spinal procedures is still under discussion. Children with some oncology diseases require routinely lumbar punctures; such patients often present thrombocytopenia, making this group an ideal population to study the association between lumbar puncture in thrombocytopenic patients and complications.