Vol 50, No 4 (2016)

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Silent killer: A scalpel in the aortic wall after spinal surgery

Gokalp Altun1, Dogus Hemsinli2, Dilek Kutanis3, Gurkan Gazioglu4
DOI: 10.1016/j.pjnns.2016.04.002
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2016;50(4):294-296.

Abstract

Iatrogenic vascular injury during lumbar spinal surgery is rare, but may lead to serious complications in unrecognized cases. Especially, injuries to aorta or its major branches may result in death unless diagnosed and treated immediately.

We present a rare case of aortic injury with a scalpel in a 56-year-old male patient undergoing lumbar disk surgery. The vascular injury was successfully treated with open surgery. The post-operative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged in a healthy condition on the 8th day. This case once again reminds us that surgery is always open to complications and that early diagnosis and appropriate interventions are of paramount importance to overcome these complications.

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