OPTIMESH

Description of Event or Problem

PATIENT UNDERWENT AN INSTRUMENTED 3-LEVEL LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION PROCEDURE AT L2-3, L3-4 AND L4-5. PATIENT AWOKE POST-OP WITH BILATERAL NUMBNESS IN LOWER EXTREMITIES. IMMEDIATE CT SHOWED MIGRATION OF GRAFT/IMPLANT AT L2-3 AND L4-5, WITH ALLOGRAFT BONE IN CENTRAL CANAL. IT WAS NOTED THAT ROD REDUCTION CAUSED STRAIGHTENING OF THE CURVED RODS, INDICATING SIGNIFICANT MECHANICAL FORCE HAD BEEN APPLIED. PATIENT WAS RETURNED TO THE OR FOR DECOMPRESSION OF THE CENTRAL CANAL AND REMOVAL OF INTERBODY IMPLANTS AT L2-3 AND L4-5. ALLOGRAFT BONE WAS PLACED IN THE DISC SPACES AT THOSE LEVELS AND ADDITIONAL DORSAL GRAFTING WAS PERFORMED. PATIENT WAS DISCHARGED ON POD #5 WITH RESIDUAL NUMBNESS IN BOTH LOWER EXTREMITIES AND IS RECEIVING PHYSICAL THERAPY. NUMBNESS IS REPORTED TO BE IMPROVING.