CASE:
A 73-year-old man with instrumented fusion of L3-4-5 underwent the removal of previous pedicle screws and posterior instrumented fusion of L1-2-3. The solid dorsal fusion mass of L3-5 was identified intraoperatively and preoperatively. At 3 years after the second surgery, he presented with abrupt radiating pain in the left leg. Plain radiographs showed a collapse of the intervertebral disc space, and magnetic resonance imaging showed disc herniation of L3-4.
CONCLUSIONS:
Disc herniation even in solid fused segments may occur. Removal of pedicle screws and cranial extension of interbody fusion may increase the intradiscal stress associated with physiologic cantilever motion of the disc.
Additional articles :
How I do it? Extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusion assisted
with biportal endoscopic technique
Debridement and corpectomy via single posterior approach to
treat pyogenic spondylitis after vertebr...
Can L5 Be Trusted During Proximal Extension of Fusion? A
Case Series and a Review of the Literature
Oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with lateral plate
fixation for the treatment of degenerat...
The Safety and Efficacy of Stand-Alone Lateral Lumbar
Interbody Fusion for Adjacent Segment Disease ...