Various procedures (epidural during labor, spinal tap, and spinal injection) can result in a lumbar puncture. These punctures can lead to severe headaches from spinal fluid leaking into the epidural space. Fortunately, these punctures are usually not dangerous, and can be treated with an epidural blood patch.

An epidural blood patch is a minimally invasive procedure that uses autologous blood to close holes in the dura mater (tough, outermost membrane) of the spinal cord.