Timothy Chung1, Christopher Thien, Yi Yuen Wang. 1. *Department of Neurosurgery, St Vincent's Hospital, Victoria, Australia; and †Department of Surgery, the University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVE: To present a patient who underwent a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion who postoperatively developed paraplegia as a rare complication of a Kirschner wire (K-wire). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The few complications of K-wires that have been reported include, dural tears and damage to intra-abdominal structures. METHODS: A case report of a rare complication of a K-wire is reported and the relevant literature was then reviewed. RESULTS: An 85-year-old female with an anterolisthesis at L4-L5 underwent a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Postoperatively she developed paraplegia. A subdural hematoma from T12 to the sacrum was found and evacuated. It is proposed that this rare complication is a result of a K-wire. CONCLUSION: Care must be taken with the use of K-wires and additional measures should be carried out such as the marking of its position and radiological confirmation of depth. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.
STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVE: To present a patient who underwent a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion who postoperatively developed paraplegia as a rare complication of a Kirschner wire (K-wire). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The few complications of K-wires that have been reported include, dural tears and damage to intra-abdominal structures. METHODS: A case report of a rare complication of a K-wire is reported and the relevant literature was then reviewed. RESULTS: An 85-year-old female with an anterolisthesis at L4-L5 underwent a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Postoperatively she developed paraplegia. A subdural hematoma from T12 to the sacrum was found and evacuated. It is proposed that this rare complication is a result of a K-wire. CONCLUSION: Care must be taken with the use of K-wires and additional measures should be carried out such as the marking of its position and radiological confirmation of depth. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.
Authors: Franziska A Schmidt; Hervé M Lekuya; Sertac Kirnaz; Robert Nick Hernandez; Ibrahim Hussain; Louis Chang; Rodrigo Navarro-Ramirez; Christoph Wipplinger; Cameron Rawanduzy; Roger Härtl Journal: Global Spine J Date: 2021-01-12