The impact of procedural simulation in reducing traumatic lumbar punctures in pediatric onco-hematology. A report from the French Children's Oncology Study Group, GOCE

Abstract Purpose: A traumatic lumbar puncture (TLP+) occurs when the needle inadvertently causes bleeding into the subarachnoid space. In pediatric hemato/oncology, detection of leukemic cells in CSF after bleeding due to TLP+ create diagnostic uncertainty, potentially leading to treatment intensification. This study aimed, using CSF red blood cell (RBC) count as an objective surrogate marker of procedural success, to evaluate whether prior simulation training compared to mentored clinical training improves lumbar puncture (LP) quality and anxiety of the residents among pediatric hemato/oncology residents.