Feasibility of Multilevel Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion in a Patient With an Intrapelvic Kidney: A Case Report

We present a 64-year-old woman with loss of lumbar lordosis with a preoperative computed tomography scan demonstrating the presence of an intrapelvic kidney with aberrant vasculature. A 2-level anterior lumbar interbody fusion with a 2-level oblique interbody fusion was planned. An anterior approach was successfully used to access the anterior spine without damaging the pelvic kidney.

Anatomic variations, both congenital and acquired, can pose significant challenges to surgeons during their dissection. We present a case where multilevel anterior interbody cage placement can be safely performed, even in a patient whose anatomy is complicated by an intrapelvic kidney.