Aortic Perforation During Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Abstract

The distal endplate and anterior vertebral cortex violation can result in the formation of an anterior bony spur in close proximity to the major abdominal vascular structures, and despite the avoidance of an anterior approach to the lumbar spine, surgery-related injury to major abdominal vessels can occur during LLIF. Aortic perforation is a rare, yet potentially lethal intraoperative complication of LLIF, which requires emergency laparatomy and vascular suture repair.