Chambrin G, La Croix C, Jameleddine E, Laccourreve O. Acute cervical spinal cord injury after head and neck surgery: A CARE case report.
Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2024;
141:99-102. [PMID:
37806922 DOI:
10.1016/j.anorl.2023.09.003]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To describe and analyze a case of acute spinal cord injury after head and neck surgery.
DESCRIPTION
One hour after left lobo-isthmectomy under laryngeal neuromonitoring for a 3-cm EU-TIRADS 4 - Bethesda 4 thyroid nodule in a 48-year-old euthyroid male without any known comorbidity, left hemiparesis occurred. Cervical spine MRI showed an anteromedial herniated C6-7 disk with medullary compression. The disk was resected, compression was released and C6-7 fusion was performed via an anterior cervical approach on postoperative day 1. Postoperative course was unremarkable, with complete recovery of motion within 2 days. One month later, neurological clinical examination was normal and interview revealed left cervicalgia with onset a few days prior to lobo-isthmectomy. One year later, at the time of writing, the patient was doing fine.
CONCLUSION
Otorhinolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons must be aware of the risk of acute cervical spinal injury after cervical mobilization in head and neck surgery, and should take all measures to avoid this exceptional but dramatic complication.
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