Kim Seong Jung, Ju Chang Il, Kim Dong Min, Kim Seok Won
Department of Emergency Medicine, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Department of Neurosurgery, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
Korean J Spine. 2013 Sep;10(3):174-6. doi: 10.14245/kjs.2013.10.3.174. Epub 2013 Sep 30.
Although anterior approaches to the cervical spine are popular and safe, they cause some of complications. Esophageal perforation after anterior spinal fusion is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. We present a rare case of delayed esophageal perforation caused by a cervical screw placed via the anterior approach. A 43-year-old man, who had undergone surgery for complete cord injury at another orthopedic department 8 years previously, was admitted to our institute due to painful neck swelling and dysphagia. Radiological studies revealed a protruding screw and esophageal perforation. The perforation was found during surgery and was successfully repaired. This case emphasizes the need for careful long-term follow-up to check for delayed esophageal perforation in patients that have undergone anterior cervical spine plating.
尽管颈椎前路手术广受欢迎且安全，但仍会引发一些并发症。前路脊柱融合术后食管穿孔是一种罕见但可能危及生命的并发症。我们报告一例罕见的因颈椎前路置入螺钉导致的迟发性食管穿孔病例。一名43岁男性，8年前在另一家骨科接受了完全性脊髓损伤手术，因颈部疼痛肿胀和吞咽困难入住我院。影像学检查显示有一枚螺钉突出及食管穿孔。穿孔在手术中被发现并成功修复。该病例强调了对接受颈椎前路钢板固定的患者进行仔细的长期随访以检查是否存在迟发性食管穿孔的必要性。
