Oral extrusion of a vertebral body replacement device after chordoma tumor growth and radiation: case report and review

BMC Surg. 2022 Jan 22;22(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s12893-022-01481-7.

Abstract

Background: Screw migration following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is a very rare complication and it is often related to device failure. Even more exceptional is the extrusion of an intervertebral graft.

Case presentation: We report the second case of migration and extrusion through the oral cavity of a cervical vertebral body replacement device (expandable cylinder) in a patient that had undergone cervical corpectomy due to a vertebral chordoma.

Conclusion: The antecedent of radiation therapy as well as progressive tumor re-growth may have favored the development of this complication. A literature review is added.

Keywords: Case report; Cervical; Device; Failure; Pharyngeal perforation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cervical Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Cervical Vertebrae / surgery
  • Chordoma* / radiotherapy
  • Chordoma* / surgery
  • Diskectomy
  • Humans
  • Spinal Fusion* / adverse effects
  • Vertebral Body