In 1960 I have had several spinal taps. It was referred to as a beetle bite. A very large needle inserted into the spine at the upper half of my body. I have noticed that spinal taps are currently in the lower back. What procedure did I go through? I had at least 12 between 1960 and 1962. The needle was quite large and I was a child born in 1956. They thought it was spinal meningitis. I am trying to come to terms with this. It was quit painful.
Hello, You were likely undergoing a lateral CERVICAL PUNCTURE at the C1-2 level for looking for infectious entities such as meningitis or the cervical tap can be useful for performing procedures such as cervical pyelograms which also could be to detect some sort of BLOCK of fluid flow or whether there maybe been a suspicion that somehow your CSF fluid flow was being obstructed for some reason.  Needle size was likely the same size back then, for the cervical level puncture as it is for the lumbar site.  It's an 18 gauge which ain't no tiny needle and especially if you were just a little time at the time.  Nowadays, we give anesthetic blocking (local injection) to anybody getting a lumbar puncture. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care Chat Doctor.