TY - JOUR
AR - SCR-2020-12-117
TI - Splenic Rupture After Minimal Invasive Lateral Retropleural Corpectomy
AU - Michele , Cappuccio
AU - Gregorio , Tugnoli
AU - Tiziano , Fidilio
AU - Federico , De Iure
JO - Surgical Case Reports
PY - 2020
DA - Fri 18, Dec 2020
SN - 2613-5965
DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.SCR.2020.12.17
UR - https://www.sciencerepository.org/splenic-rupture-after-minimal-invasive-lateral-retropleural-corpectomy_SCR-2020-12-117 
KW - Thoracolumbar fracture, minimal invasive retropleural, corpectomy, spleen rupture, complication
AB - Retropleural minimal invasive approach to the thoracolumbar junction has become more popular in the last
decade both for degenerative and traumatic spine surgery as it marries the advantages of direct vision typical
of open surgery and the philosophy of tissue sparing which characterizes the thoracoscopic approach.
Nevertheless, as with the just mentioned techniques, this approach also requires the caudal displacement of
the diaphragm with the organs below including the spleen. The authors report one case of postoperative
spleen disruption following a retropleural minimal invasive approach in a patient with an underlying grade
II spleen lesion occurred 8 days before and considered safe by the general surgeon. We conclude that even
negligible spleen injuries must be considered an absolute contraindication to thoracolumbar junction lateral
approach even with minimal invasive techniques.