[Intracranial Hemorrhage and Pneumocephalus after Spinal Cord Tumor Resection: A Case Report]

A 75-year-old woman was scheduled for spinal cord tumor resection. General anesthesia was induced and maintained using propofol, remifentanil and fentanyl. Aside from fluctuations in intraoperative blood pres- sure, the surgery was uneventful, but emergence from anesthesia was delayed and the patient showed partial paralysis. Emergent brain CT revealed multiple intracranial hemorrhages and pneumocephalus. Since a large amount of fluid was observed from the drainage tube at the surgical site, loss of cerebrospinal fluid and subsequent low intracranial pressure were considered to be the cause of the hemorrhage and pneumocepha- lus. Intracranial hemorrhage and pneumocephalus are rare complications after spinal surgery, but they can lead to serious neurological dysfunction. Dural tear and/or excessive drainage are considered to be the causes of these complications, and careful observation of the property, amount and rate of drainage is there- fore warranted.