Extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for cage migration after screw removal: a case report

The use of titanium cages for posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) has gained popularity because it offers the advantages of anterior column support and stabilization. However, cage migration into the spinal canal may have severe or disastrous consequences. Here, the authors report an unexpected case of posterior migration of fusion cages after screw removal in a patient that underwent PLIF 12 months previously. Removal of the offending cages through revision extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (ELIF) with percutaneous screw fixation successfully managed this complication. As far as the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report to describe this sort of complication, and cautions that care must be taken to prevent cage migration.