Use of Aortic Endograft for Repair of Intraoperative Iliocaval Injury during Anterior Spine Exposure

Vascular injury during anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a well-documented occurrence. Most vascular injuries continue to be managed with direct open repair. We report the outcome of a 61-year-old woman who experienced inferior vena cava and left common iliac vein injury during a difficult exposure for multilevel ALIF. The distal cava and common iliac vein were repaired with a Gore Excluder cuff and limb. The endovascular repair permitted control of the injury without more morbid maneuvers such as iliac artery transection. Thus endovascular repair of intraoperative caval injury is a valuable option in emergent situations with low morbidity and good durability.