title: Urological injury as a complication of the transpsoas approach for discectomy and interbody fusion.
abstract: Transpsoas discectomy and interbody fusion has become an increasingly popular method of achieving lumbar interbody fusion, but reports of neurological, vascular, and gastrointestinal complications associated with this procedure have been described in the literature. To date, however, ureteral complications have not been reported with this procedure. The authors report 2 cases of ureteral injury and 1 case of renal injury following this procedure. A low index of suspicion is warranted to work up any patient having flank or abdominal symptoms after undergoing transpsoas discectomy and interbody fusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Spine Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. neel.anand@cshs.org
authors.forename: Neel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: Eli M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Baron
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000293:injuries*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016658:Psoas Muscles / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014513:Ureter / Q000293:injuries*