title: Bowel injury as a complication of microdiscectomy: case report and literature review.
abstract: Intestinal injury is a rare complication of lumbar disc surgery, resulting from inadvertent penetration of the anterior annulus fibrosus and anterior longitudinal ligament. Patients typically complain of abdominal pain and distention developing over the course of several days. Imaging with plain upright chest radiographs or abdominal computed tomography may demonstrate free air in the abdominal cavity. We report a case of intestinal perforation after microscopic lumbar discectomy and present the diagnostic postoperative imaging. In addition, we review the relevant literature and discuss techniques that may be employed to avoid this complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10467, USA. JKHMD@yahoo.com
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Houten
authors.forename: Anthony K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Frempong-Boadu
authors.forename: Marc S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Arkovitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D017846:Longitudinal Ligaments / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae