title: A rare complication of spinal surgery: cerebellar hemorrhage.
abstract: Remote cerebellar hemorrhage (RCH) after spinal surgery is encountered extremely rarely. A 64 year-old female patient developed symptoms of deteriorating consciousness and diplopia arising on the first postoperative day after recurrent spinal surgery. Cranial CT scan showed cerebral edema and evidence of a cerebellar hemorrhage. Urgent suboccipital decompressive craniectomy and expanded duraplasty were performed. Repeat CT at 24 h revealed hydrocephalus and an external ventricular drain (EVD) was inserted for 20 days. The patient's consciousness deteriorated after withdrawal of the EVD and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was placed. The patient recovered completely except for gait ataxia and left foot drop. Although the exact cause is unknown iatrogenic dural opening resulting in excessive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage and secondary development of venous infarction have been suggested to lead to RCH.
authors.affiliation: Karaelmas University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery Zonguldak, Turkey. drsanser@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sanser
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalayci
authors.forename: Bektas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Acikgoz
mesh_terms: D001929:Brain Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D056424:Decompressive Craniectomy / Q000379:methods; D004172:Diplopia / Q000209:etiology; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects