Small bowel perforation as a complication of microsurgical lumbar diskectomy - A case report and brief review of the literature

Ventral perforation is a rare complication of lumbar diskectomy. Injury to retroperitoneal vessels is the most common serious complication to such per foration. Ventral perforation with damage to the bowel is rarely reported. The authors present the first case report of injury to the small bowel duri ng a microsurgical lumbar diskectomy. The case illustrates the importance o f awareness of bowel injury as a possible complication of diskectomy. Possi ble pre- and postoperative considerations are also discussed. A brief revie w of the literature on bowel injuries after this common surgical procedure is also given.