Laparoscopic surgery to remove a cage that migrated to the retroperitoneal space during posterior lumbar interbody fusion: A case report

Abstract

Introduction: Cage migration into the retroperitoneal space during posterior lumbar interbody fusion rarely occurs. Here, we report a patient who underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove a migrated cage from the retroperitoneal space.

Case presentation: A 76-year-old woman had a cage that had migrated into the retroperitoneal space during posterior lumbar interbody fusion. On abdominal CT, the migrated cage appeared at the front of the promontorium, just below the aortic and vena caval bifurcations. One day later, the patient underwent laparoscopic surgery using intraoperative fluoroscopy to extract the migrated cage. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged on the fifth postoperative day.

Discussion: A cage that migrates during posterior lumbar interbody fusion can have serious consequences. In cases where the patient remains in stable condition, laparoscopic surgery is a useful and suitable method for removing the cage from the retroperitoneal space.

Keywords: Intraoperative complication; laparoscopic extraction; posterior lumbar interbody fusion.