Delayed onset of spinal subdural hematoma after vertebroplasty for compression fracture: a case report

Multilevel subdural and epidural hematoma after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP): a case report and literature review

Background

Serious complications such as intraspinal hematoma after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) are rare, with an incidence of about 1%, which has been reported in relevant literature. However, there are few reports on the simultaneous occurrence of multiple segmental subdural/epidural hematomas (SDH/SEH) after surgery.

Case presentation

This case reports a 90-year-old female with lower limb neurological dysfunction after PKP. Emergency thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hematoma compressing the spinal cord. After conservative treatment, the sensory and motor function of the right lower limb returned to normal, and the bowel and urine function returned to normal, but the muscle strength of the left lower limb did not fully recover.

Conclusion

Blood pressure should be well controlled during the perioperative period for elderly patients with hypertension. This will avoid severe fluctuations in blood pressure caused by pain, anesthesia, and other reasons, reduce the probability of intraspinal vascular rupture, and prevent severe neurological dysfunction caused by acute intraspinal hemorrhage.

Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage after percutaneous kyphoplasty: a case report and literature review

Background

Spinal intradural (subdural and subarachnoid) hematoma following percutaneous kyphoplasty is an extremely rare complication. In this report, we describe a case of subarachnoid hemorrhage with delayed paralysis after kyphoplasty and review the literature on similar cases to describe the complications of kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty (VP).

Case Description

An 80-year-old man underwent percutaneous kyphoplasty at a local hospital an osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) at the T12 and L1 level. On the second day after kyphoplasty for T12 OVF, he developed paralysis of the lower limbs. At his initial visit to our clinic, he had a complete loss of sensation below T11 and complete paralysis of both lower extremities. Thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intradural hematoma on the ventral side of the spinal cord, in the spinal canal from T5 to T12, compressing the spinal cord. Thoracolumbar computed tomography showed a fracture line in the medial cortex of the right pedicle at T12 and a tract from the spinal canal to the vertebral body. An emergency posterior decompression from T11 to L1 was performed. A small hole was found on the right side of the pedicle at T12, and tear of the nerve and subarachnoid hematoma were observed in the vicinity of the T11 nerve root. The subarachnoid hematomas were removed. Postoperatively, the neurological symptoms improved rapidly. Eventually, he was able to walk and was transferred for rehabilitation.

Conclusions

Percutaneous surgery through the pedicle might cause hematoma and bone cement leakage into the spinal canal. This can be a serious complication: hence prevention is important.

Spinal subdural hematoma from a ventral dural puncture after percutaneous vertebroplasty: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is a common procedure, but cement leaks are not uncommon. Leakages do not always have consequences, but rarely complications do occur. Spinal subdural hematomas (sSDHs) are rare and even rarer presented as a complication after PVP. The best management for sSDH is, therefore, difficult to decide.

OBSERVATIONS

The patient first received PVP for acute low back pain after falling. Cement leakages were noted after the procedure, but a sudden new-onset leg weakness only developed later. An emergency lumbar computed tomography scan showed cement leakages anterior to the dural sac; lumbar magnetic resonance imaging revealed a subdural spinal hematoma, and a decompressive laminectomy was performed. During the operation, a small cement mass in the shape of a horn was seen and was believed to have caused the sSDH. Postoperatively, the patient recovered to leg strength 5/5.

LESSONS

PVP is considered a low-risk procedure, and cement leaks rarely give rise to complications. However, when leakages present anterior to the dural sac, they may cause dural tear and possible sSDH, regardless of size. This possibility draws attention to keeping awareness of such rare but possible complications after routine PVP procedures. Timely intervention for sSDH is necessary to ensure meaningful recovery.

Spinal Epidural Hematoma After Percutaneous Kyphoplasty: Case Report and Literature Review

Objective

To present the case of a patient on long-term anticoagulants who developed acute spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) without signs of major cement extravasation to the spinal canal.

Methods

A 64-year-old woman with long-term oral antiplatelet drugs underwent the L1 PKP. Immediately after the operation, the back pain improved significantly without neurological deficit. However, 12 hours later, she developed progressive weakness of the bilateral lower limbs. No intraspinal cement leakage was obvious on the postoperative lumbar radiograph and computed tomography.

Results

An emergency MRI examination revealed a high signal aggregation in front of the spinal cord from T12 to L1, indicating spinal cord compression. The SEH was verified and removed during the laminectomy from T12-L1. Following the decompression surgery, the neurological deficit of the lower limbs improved. On follow-up after 6 months, the muscle strength of the bilateral lower limbs had returned to normal.

Conclusion

For the patient with long-term oral antiplatelet drugs or coagulation malfunction, the transpedicle approach or that via the costovertebral joint with a smaller abduction angle is recommended to reduce the risk of injury to the inner wall of the pedicle. For progressive aggravation of neurological dysfunction after surgery, SEH formation should be suspected despite the absence of intraspinal bone cement leakage. Secondary emergency decompression should be considered to avoid permanent damage to spinal cord nerve function caused by continuous compression.

Spinal subdural and epidural hematomas after vertebroplasty for compression fracture: a case report

Introduction

Vertebroplasty (VP) is a well-known and effective therapeutic method for relieving the pain and improving the quality of life of patients with vertebral compression fractures. Major complications of VP are infrequent, occurring in no more than 1% of such procedures, whereas spinal subdural and epidural hematomas are extremely rare complications.

Case Presentation

We present a unique case of a spinal subdural hematoma (sSDH) (from T4 to T12) occurring immediately after VP to treat a traumatic vertebral compression fracture, followed by a spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) (from T3 to T12) after the decompressive laminectomy, occurring in a 64-year-old patient. After removing of the big spinal epidural hematoma, the patient's symptoms improved progressively and she recovered after 2 months.

Discussion

This is a rare case of sSDH and SEH occurring continuously after VP. The pathogenesis may be that the puncture damaged the abnormal blood vessel of spinal dura mater. A small-probability event is not an impossible event. We hope to bring more attention to the rare complications of VP by sharing this unusual case.

Vertebroplasty and delayed subdural cauda equina hematoma: Review of literature and case report

Vertebroplasy is considered an alternative and effective treatment of painful oncologic spine disease. Major complications are very rare, but with high morbidity and occur in less than 1% of patients who undergo vertebroplasty. Spinal subdural hematoma (SDH) is an extremely rare complication, usual developing within 12 h to 24 h after the procedure. We report the case of a tardive SDH in an oncologic patient who underwent VP for Myxoid Liposarcoma metastasis. Trying to explain the pathogenesis, we support the hypothesis that both venous congestion of the vertebral venous plexus of the vertebral body and venous congestion due to a traumatic injury can provoke SDH. To our best knowledge, only 4 cases of spinal subdural hematoma following a transpedicular vertebroplasty have been previously described in International literature and only one of them occurred two weeks after that surgical procedures. Percutaneous verteboplasty is a well-known treatment of pain oncologic spine disease, used to provide pain relief and improvement of quality life and is considered a simple surgical procedure, involving a low risk of complications, but related to high morbidity, such as SDH. Therefore it has to be performed by experienced and skilled surgeons, that should also recognize possible risk factors, making SDH more risky.