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Failure of a polyether-ether-ketone expandable interbody cage following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Stein, IC; Than, KD; Chen, KS; Wang, AC; Park, P
Published in: Eur Spine J
May 2015

PURPOSE: Expandable cages are a more recent option for maintaining or restoring disc height and segmental lordosis with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Complications associated with expandable cages have not yet been widely reported. We report a case of postoperative failure of a polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) expandable interbody device used during TLIF. METHODS: A 50-year-old man presented with severe back and right leg pain after undergoing L4-5 and L5-S1 TLIFs with expandable cages and L3-S1 posterior instrumented fusion. Imaging showed retropulsion of a portion of the interbody cage into the spinal canal causing nerve compression. Displacement occurred in a delayed manner. In addition, pseudoarthrosis was present. RESULTS: The patient underwent re-exploration with removal of the retropulsed wafer and redo fusion. CONCLUSIONS: Expandable cages are a recent innovation; as such, efficacy and complication data are limited. As with any new device, there exists potential for mechanical failure, as occurred in the case presented.

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Published In

Eur Spine J

DOI

EISSN

1432-0932

Publication Date

May 2015

Volume

24 Suppl 4

Start / End Page

S555 / S559

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Spinal Fusion
  • Reoperation
  • Prosthesis Failure
  • Polymers
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Orthopedics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Lumbar Vertebrae
  • Ketones
 

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Stein, I. C., Than, K. D., Chen, K. S., Wang, A. C., & Park, P. (2015). Failure of a polyether-ether-ketone expandable interbody cage following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Eur Spine J, 24 Suppl 4, S555–S559. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3704-1
Stein, Isaac C., Khoi D. Than, Kevin S. Chen, Anthony C. Wang, and Paul Park. “Failure of a polyether-ether-ketone expandable interbody cage following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.Eur Spine J 24 Suppl 4 (May 2015): S555–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3704-1.
Stein IC, Than KD, Chen KS, Wang AC, Park P. Failure of a polyether-ether-ketone expandable interbody cage following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Eur Spine J. 2015 May;24 Suppl 4:S555–9.
Stein, Isaac C., et al. “Failure of a polyether-ether-ketone expandable interbody cage following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.Eur Spine J, vol. 24 Suppl 4, May 2015, pp. S555–59. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s00586-014-3704-1.
Stein IC, Than KD, Chen KS, Wang AC, Park P. Failure of a polyether-ether-ketone expandable interbody cage following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Eur Spine J. 2015 May;24 Suppl 4:S555–S559.
Journal cover image

Published In

Eur Spine J

DOI

EISSN

1432-0932

Publication Date

May 2015

Volume

24 Suppl 4

Start / End Page

S555 / S559

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Spinal Fusion
  • Reoperation
  • Prosthesis Failure
  • Polymers
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Orthopedics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Lumbar Vertebrae
  • Ketones