Delayed perforation of posterior pharyngeal wall caused by dislodged bioresorbable interbody cage. Case report

Abstract

A 48-year-old man was admitted for the management of congenital anomalies: Arnold–Chiari type I malformation combined with odontoid upward migration. He also had degenerative stenosis of the spinal canal by spurs at C2/C3 and C3/C4 levels. Osseous deformities caused ischaemic changes of the brainstem as well as spinal cord compression. Authors used the Biocage – interbody cage covered by bioresorbable layer to fill the surgically created gap after removal of the right part of C3 vertebral body. Twenty-seven months after implantation, the implant was extruded through posterior pharyngeal wall. Authors describe this unusual case and discuss possible causes of Biocage extrusion.