Use of hypnosis in controlling lumbar puncture distress in an adult needle-phobic dementia patient

Abstract

Lumbar punctures are often vital to the medical management of patients with suspected organic pathology, yet they are commonly met with such distress that medical risk is significantly increased, and patient rapport is significantly decreased, further compromising medical treatment. Although the use of hypnosis for lumbar punctures is well established in pediatric patients, no literature exists for adult patients. Similarly, there is no extant research regarding hypnosis for dementia patients, likely due to the limiting factors of impaired attention and concentration. With these factors in mind, a method for incorporating hypnosis into a lumbar puncture procedure is described for a needle-phobic adult patient suffering from dementia.