Incidental Durotomy Repair in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Institutional Experience and Review of Literature

Study Design : Retrospective Chart Review. Objectives Incidental durotomies (IDs) are common spine surgery complications. In this study, we present a review on the most commonly utilized management strategies, report our institutional experience with case examples, and describe a stepwise management algorithm. Methods A retrospective review was performed of the electronic medical records of all patients who underwent a thoracolumbar or lumbar spine surgery between March 2017 and September 2019. Additionally, a literature review of the current management approaches to treat IDs and persistent postoperative CSF leaks following lumbar spine surgeries was performed. Results We looked at 1133 patients that underwent posterior thoracolumbar spine surgery. There was intraoperative evidence of ID in 116 cases. Based on our cohort and the current literature, we developed a progressive treatment algorithm for IDs that begins with a primary repair, which can be bolstered by dural sealants or a muscle patch. If this fails, the primary repair can be followed by a paraspinal muscle flap, as well as a lumbar drain. If the patient cannot be weaned from temporary CSF diversion, the final step in controlling postoperative leak is longterm CSF diversion via a lumboperitoneal shunt. In our experience, these shunts can be weaned once the patient has no further clinical or radiographic signs of CSF leak. Conclusions There is no standardized management approach of IDs and CSF leaks in the literature. This article intends to provide a progressive treatment algorithm and contribute to the development process of a treatment consensus.

Automated summary

This study reviewed incidental durotomies, a common complication of spine surgery, and summarized the treatment strategies and management algorithm. The results showed a lack of standardized approaches to manage such complications, and the goal of this article is to contribute to the development of treatment consensus.