Transient L5 Nerve Root Palsy Caused by Subfascial Drain After Lumbar Surgery: Case Report and Literature Review

September 14, 2022

doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.22.00006.

eCollection 2022 Apr 1.

Affiliations

Item in Clipboard

Francesca Barile et al.

JBJS Case Connect.

2022.

Abstract

Case:

We describe the case of a 45-year-old woman who developed a transient L5 deficit after a posterior L4-L5 interbody fusion. A perfusion computed tomography scan ruled out all described causes of postoperative deficit and showed compression of the right L5 root by the subfascial drain. The deficit spontaneously resolved.

Conclusion:

New neurological deficit after spine surgery is a complication that requires a quick diagnostic and therapeutic approach. This particular case is of interest not only because it describes a rarely reported complication (transient neurological motor deficit after posterior fusion) but also because the hypothesized cause has never been described before.

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B863).

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