Radiculopathy after lumbar discectomy due to intraspinal retained Surgicel: clinical and magnetic resonance imaging evaluation

Background contextLumbar radiculopathy after lumbar spine surgery is an alerting sign usually caused by either a recurrent disc herniation or epidural hematoma. However, pressure on a spinal nerve root may also be exerted by a retained piece of Surgicel used to achieve hemostasis during lumbar spine surgical procedures.PurposeTo describe a case of lumbar radiculopathy that was caused by a piece of Surgicel left in the spinal canal after operation for lumbar disc herniation.Study settingA case report of a retained piece of Surgicel being the cause of S1 radiculopathy.MethodsPatient interview, medical records, imaging studies, and literature review.ResultsA 29-year-old man developed acute left S1 radiculopathy after a successful hemilaminectomy and discectomy operation for a L5–S1 disc herniation. In the magnetic resonance imaging studies that were performed, a postoperative hematoma could not be excluded and a reoperation revealed compression from Surgicel that was used for hemostasis. The patient was free of symptoms after reoperation.ConclusionsThis case depicts the difficulty in distinguishing—by means of magnetic resonance imaging—nerve root compression caused by a postoperative hematoma and a recurrent disc herniation, from that caused by a retained Surgicel. Therefore, hemostatic agents should be meticulously used in spine surgery.