Q: During traumatic spinal tap, protein may also get introduce into the CSF beside RBCs. What rule of thumb may help in differentiating between traumatic protein tap vs otherwise unsuspected neurologic disease?


Answer: An approximation of 1 mg of protein for every 750 RBCs may be used as a guide for probable traumatic tap. It is advisible to repeat spinal tap to confirm diagnosis.

A high CSF protein level, can be a clue to demyelinating polyneuropathies.