ArticlePediatric radiology2025
Use of seated positioning device (Smoltap
Article in Pediatric radiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- The Utility of Point-Of-Care Ultrasound for Paediatric Lumbar Puncture: A Narrative Review.Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInfant lumbar punctures (LPs) frequently fail at bedside and prompt repeat attempts with image guidance. Conventionally, image-guided LPs are performed with ultrasound or fluoroscopy while infants are in lateral flexed position. The procedure requires infants to be either sedated or held manually to maintain stable positioning. A new commercially available positioning device (Smoltap
objectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an infant positioning device during image-guided LPs as an alternative to the conventional LP technique. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of image-guided LPs from May 2022 to April 2025, approximately 1.5 years before and after the introduction of an infant positioning device in October 2023 at our institution. The device was used for awake infants stable on room air and with head-to-toe length < 57 cm, per instructions for use. The infants were secured in the device, and LPs were performed with ultrasound guidance. Patient demographics and procedural outcomes of LPs performed with and without the device were compared.
resultsWe analyzed 42 LPs performed with the device ("device" group) and 37 LPs performed without ("no device" group). The two groups had similar patient characteristics and rates of prior failed bedside LPs (95% and 86%, respectively, P = 0.17). The success rates of obtaining adequate CSF for microbial culture were comparable between the groups (93% and 84%, P = 0.21). There were no complications in either group. The average procedure duration was also similar (14 min vs 16 min, P = 0.65). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of traumatic taps when defined as CSF containing ≥ 10,000 erythrocytes/µL (26% and 16%, P = 0.42). When defined as ≥ 500 erythrocytes/µL, the rates of traumatic taps were significantly different (72% and 42%, P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis of the "no device" group suggested that this difference could be attributed to inclusion of sedated patients in the "no device" group. In the "device" group, no patients received sedation.
conclusionPerforming image-guided infant LPs with a positioning device is a feasible and safe alternative to the conventional technique with the benefit of not needing to sedate or manually hold infants.
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