Transforaminal endoscopic decompression of a postoperative dislocated bone fragment after a 2-level lumbar total disc replacement: case report

The proposed advantages of total disc replacement (TDR) over fusion in the lumbar spine are the preservation of motion and the avoidance of adjacent-level disease. One of the complications inherent in TDR is the possibility of vertebral body fracture due to trauma or a malpositioned implant. The resulting dilemma is that posterior decompression of the displaced bone fragment could then have a destabilizing effect and possibly require fusion, thus obviating the benefit of an arthroplasty procedure. In this study, the authors describe the technical considerations and feasibility of the treatment of a postoperative L-5 paresis that resulted from a dislocated bone fragment at L4-5 during a 2-level lumbar TDR.