title: Iliac arterial injury following anterior lumbar surgery: a case report.
abstract: A 31-year-old woman presented with persistent left leg pain 3 weeks after revision lumbar surgery. She had numbness of the leg immediately after surgery, followed by intense, spasmodic pain 4 days later, which was managed with analgesia. Subsequent computed tomographic angiography demonstrated occlusion of the left common iliac artery. This had been missed by her spinal surgeon and by physicians in our emergency department in 2 separate visits. Vascular complications of anterior spinal surgery can be limb- or life-threatening. A high index of suspicion is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Bolarinwa
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akinola
authors.forename: Godfrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Charnley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*
keywords: iliac artery; iliac vein; lumbar vertebrae; postoperative complications; spinal fusion