Iatrogenic splenic injury during anterior thoracolumbar spinal surgery. Case report.
The proximity of major abdominal structures encountered in the approach for an anterior thoracolumbar spinal operation makes patients vulnerable to potential intraoperative complications. The spleen, in particular, can be easily injured during manipulation or from being under retractors for a number of hours, although it is a rarely reported phenomenon in the literature. The authors report on a 52-year-old man who suffered a spleen laceration following anterior L1-2 corpectomy and fusion for osteomyelitis of the lumbar spine. The patient required an emergency splenectomy, but he made a full recovery.
Department of Neurosurgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130-3932, USA.
Anthony
A
Sin
Donald
D
Smith
Anil
A
Nanda
D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006406:Hematoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D022125:Lacerations / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed