Table 3.

Needle diameters compared through a systematic literature review [1]

Conclusions	Diameters of needles compared	Motivations	References
No difference: in needle diameters	20G versus 22G	No difference: PLPH, complaints, traumatic tap incidence, CSF pressure measurement	[47], [48], [49]
	22G versus 25G	No difference: PLPH, complaints, attempts	[50], [51]
	23G versus 25G	No difference: PLPH, low back pain, attempts	[52]
Favors: large-bore diameters	20G versus 22G versus 24G versus 25G	Reduced: collection times Faster: CSF pressure measurement	[53]
Favors: small-diameter bores	18G versus 20G versus 22G versus 24G versus 25G	Lower frequency: PLPH	[54]
	18G versus 20G versus 22G versus 24G versus 25G versus 26G versus 27G	Reduced: collection times Faster: CSF pressure measurement	[55]
	19G versus 20G versus 22G 22 G versus 25G versus 27G	Lower frequency: PLPH	[56]
	20G versus 22G	Lower frequency: PLPH, complaints, blood patch rates Increased: collection times	[57], [58], [59], [60], [61]
	20G versus 22G versus 23G	Lower frequency: PLPH	[62]
	20G versus 22G versus 25G	Lower frequency: PLPH Increased: collection times More: practice, failures	[63]
	20G versus 24G 20 G versus 23G versus 25G versus 26G	Lower frequency: PLPH	[36]
	22G versus 24G	Lower frequency: PLPH, complaints	[64]
	22G versus 25G	Lower frequency: PLPH, low back pain, complaints Reduced: costs (health care) Lower frequency: leakage	[65], [66], [67]
	22G versus 26G	Lower frequency: PLPH, pain More: practice	[38], [68], [69]
	22G versus 29G	Lower frequency: PLPH, Reduced: failures	[70]
	25G versus 26G versus 27G	Lower frequency: PLPH Reduced: blood patch rates	[71]

Abbreviations: G, gauge; PLPH, postlumbar puncture headache; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid.