Delayed fracture of fibular strut allograft following three-level anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion: a case report.

Abstract

Strut allografts are used in cervical spine reconstruction following corpectomy. A stress fracture in the graft is a rare event. We explain a late stress fracture of an allograft following anterior cervical fusion. A 57-year-old male with a history of cervical myeloradiculopathy underwent a three-level anterior cervical corpectomy and allograft reconstruction from C3-C7. Fracture lucencies in the allograft were identified on flexion/extension radiographs 11 months post-operatively. The patient reported no new pain, numbness, or weakness and denied any traumatic injury. Three years post-operatively, he was asymptomatic with no change in alignment or signs of failure of the instrumentation or strut graft. With a healed fibular strut allograft, a delayed stress fracture may be observed with a favorable outcome.

• Authors: David B McConda, Sanford E Emery
• Journal: The West Virginia medical journal (W V Med J) Vol. 111 Issue 2 Pg. 14-6 ( 2015) ISSN: 0043-3284 [Print] United States
• PMID: 25842700 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Allografts
• Cervical Vertebrae (diagnostic imaging, surgery)
• Fibula (transplantation)
• Fractures, Stress (diagnosis, surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Radiography
• Spinal Fusion