Vertebral Fracture in a Short Period Following Posterior Decompression and Fixation for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis

Posterior decompression and fixation are established therapeutic modalities for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS). Postoperative complications associated with these procedures may require supplementary interventions, potentially resulting in subsequent vertebral fractures. However, vertebral fractures that occur within a short period after posterior decompression and fixation for DLS are rare. An 80-year-old woman presented with right leg pain and ambulatory difficulties attributed to DLS. The patient was administered medications, including prednisolone, for managing diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis. Subsequently, the patient underwent posterior decompression from L3 to S1, coupled with fixation extending from L4 to S1 using percutaneous pedicle screws. The symptoms disappeared, and the patient was discharged two weeks after the surgery. However, two months after the surgery, the patient visited our outpatient clinic, complaining of sudden backache and motor weakness in the bilateral lower extremities. A vertebral fracture of L4 was identified on computed tomography (CT). Long-level fusion from Th10 to the iliac bone was performed to correct the thoracic-lumbar deformity. Following rehabilitation therapy after the second surgery, the patient was discharged on day 45 post-surgery. As observed in this case, vertebral fractures following posterior decompression and fixation surgery for DLS can occur within a relatively short period. Neurosurgeons should be aware of these rare complications.