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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
Cone Beam Intraoperative Computed Tomography-based Image Guidance for Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Interbody Fusion
Published on: August 6, 2019
Non-iatrogenic spontaneous acute spinal subdural haematoma after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion
Ahmed Aly1, Daniel D'Aquino1, Eman Khedr2
1The Centre for Spinal Studies and Surgery, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, UK.
Purpose:
Reporting a rare case of a non-iatrogenic spontaneously resolved spinal subdural haematoma (SSDH) following revision of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and its possible explanation.
Methods:
Case report of a 40-year-old man with a history of persistent lower back and left lower extremity radicular pain, secondary to recurrent disc prolapse, lumbar spondylosis with foraminal stenosis. He underwent an L5/S1 transforaminal interbody fusion via a right sided approach (through previous lumbar microdiscectomy incision). On post-operative day two, the patient developed headache and photophobia that were discovered to be secondary to an acute thoracolumbar subdural haematoma with no objective neurological deficit.
Results:
After close observation of his neurological status and conservative management of the subdural haematoma, the patient fully recovered from his symptoms and remained problem-free at 2-year follow-up.
Conclusions:
Although the occurrence of acute spinal subdural haematoma after spinal surgery is a rare complication following spinal surgery, its appropriate management relies on early recognition if significant morbidity is to be avoided.
