Spinal artery syndrome following kyphoplasty in the setting of a non-compressive extradural cement extravasation: a case report

Introduction Cement extravasation (CE) during vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is not uncommon, though neurological deficits occur rarely and when paraparesis occurs severe cord compression has been described. We report a case of progressive paraparesis in the setting of non-compressive extradural CE during kyphoplasty with evidence for spinal artery syndrome and neurological recovery after treatment. Case presentation A 77-year-old female with T12 VCF failed conservative treatment and underwent kyphoplasty. In the recovery room, the patient was noted to have bilateral leg weakness, left worse than right, and had urgent CT scan that showed right paracentral CE without cord compression or arterial cement embolization. The patient was transferred to a tertiary hospital and had MRI of the spine that confirmed extradural CE and no cord compression. Because the patient had progression of lower extremity deficits despite medical management, she underwent surgical decompression, cement excision, and spinal fusion with instrumentation. Post op MRI showed T2 hyperintensities in the spinal cord consistent with spinal artery syndrome. One month post op, she had almost complete recovery of her neurological function. Discussion Spinal artery syndrome may be considered in patients with neurological deficit s/p kyphoplasty even if the extravasated cement does not compress the spinal cord and even if the deficits are worse contralateral to the cement extravasation. If spinal artery syndrome is present and medical management does not improve the deficits, surgery may be indicated even if there is no cord compression.