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Updated: Jul 26, 2026
Transtubular Endoscopic Posterolateral Decompression for L5-S1 Lumbar Lateral Disc Herniation
Published on: October 14, 2022
Postoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak After Lumbar Total Disc Replacement: A Diagnostic and Management Challenge
Robert Ryu1, Angelique Do2, Julie Chan2
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Background:
Lumbar total disc replacement is increasingly becoming a more common treatment for discogenic low back pain refractory to conservative measures. Nevertheless, several complications have been reported, including, among others, wound infection, vascular injury, retrograde ejaculation, postsympathectomy syndrome, ileus, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Although CSF leakage is rare, we discuss a case of CSF leakage and the diagnosis and management of CSF leakage after lumbar total disc replacement.
Case Description:
A 25-year-old man had presented with discogenic low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease of 9 years' duration. His symptoms were exacerbated by activity, worse with sitting, and relieved by ice baths. He developed a cerebrospinal fluid leak after L5-S1 lumbar total disc replacement.
Conclusions:
Our patient ultimately required device removal, direct repair, and replacement with a different prosthesis to treat his CSF leak.
