lumbar puncture: Meaning and Definition of

lum'bar punc'ture

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. puncture into the arachnoid membrane of the spinal cord, in the lumbar region, and withdrawal of spinal fluid, performed for diagnosis of the fluid, injection of dye for imaging, or administration of anesthesia or medication. Also called
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.