RETROPERITONEAL PSEUDOMENINGOCELE COMPLICATED BY MENINGITIS FOLLOWINGA LUMBAR BURST FRACTURE - A CASE-REPORT

Study Design. This case report demonstrates an unusual complication af ter anterior decompression and fusion of a lumbar burst fracture. Obje ctives. The treatment of this patient involved placement of a computed tomography-guided percutaneous drain and intravenous antibiotics to t reat an infected retroperitoneal pseudomeningocele. Summary of Backgro und Data. A case of an anterior retroperitoneal pseudomeningocele comp licated by meningitis is presented. This pseudomeningocele occurred in a patient after an L3 burst fracture associated with a dural lacerati on. Methods. The patient was admitted to the authors' trauma unit afte r a motor vehicle accident with an acute L3 fracture associated with i ncomplete paraplegia. He underwent an urgent anterior corpectomy, stru t grafting, and instrumentation. At surgery, he was noted to have a la rge anterior dural laceration. After surgery, a large retroperitoneal pseudomeningocele developed that became infected with Staphylococcus e pidermidis. Results. After placement of a computed tomography-guided p ercutaneous drain and intravenous antibiotics, the pseudomeningocele r esolved. His anterior fusion healed uneventfully and his neurologic de ficit improved dramatically. Conclusions. A case of an anterior retrop eritoneal pseudomeningocele complicated by meningitis is presented. Th is pseudomeningocele occurred in a patient after an L3 burst fracture associated with a dural laceration. The patient was treated successful ly with computed tomography-guided percutaneous drain placement and in travenous antibiotics. He made an excellent functional recovery after a severe neurologic injury.