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Far lateral disc excision at L5-S1 complicated by iliolumbar artery incursion: case report
1Department of Neurosurgery, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island.
Objective And Importance:
Paramedial approaches to far lateral discs at the L5-S1 space joint have advantages but may also bring the surgical space closer to large branch arteries of the internal iliac artery. I report incursion into an iliolumbar artery that required laparotomy to control hemorrhage. Surgeons performing extraforaminal disc explorations at L5-S1 need to evaluate preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans for an enlarged iliolumbar artery near the disc space.
Clinical Presentation:
The patient presented with a right L5 radiculopathy and a far lateral disc at L5-S1, as indicated by analysis of her magnetic resonance imaging scan.
Intervention:
A midline incision and an extraforaminal exposure were performed. Arterial bleeding occurred when an anular disc fragment was removed with a pituitary rongeur under direct vision with microscopic magnification. Emergency laparotomy demonstrated hemorrhage from a branch of the internal iliac artery 2 cm from its origin.
Conclusion:
Iliolumbar artery variants may be at the margins of extraforaminal disc exposure at L5-S1. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans should be evaluated for this vasculature structure.