An unexpected cause of intractable dysphagia after 20 years following cervical spine instrumentation using bone cement alone: a case report.

Introduction and Importance: Postoperative dysphagia following anterior cervical discectomy fusion (ACDF) for cervical disc herniation is still poorly understood. Dysphagia after anterior spinal cervical approach is mild and transient. Here, the authors present a rare case suffering with severe progressive dysphagia for over 1 year after 20 years of ACDF due to expulsed bone cement abutting the esophagus which was successfully removed after reoperation. Case Presentation: A 59-year-old homemaker female presented to us with a foreign body sensation in the throat Clinical Discussion: The exact pathophysiology of dysphagia after ACF surgery remains unknown. In our case, there was an expulsion of the graft. The graft used was polymethyl methacrylate, commonly known as bone cement, which was placed 20 years back. Since polymethyl methacrylate is bioinert material, the graft may have expulsed from its site of placement and thus compressed the esophagus. Taking into consideration of the cost-effectiveness and maintenance of spinal mobility, few neurosurgeons believe that the application of bone cement in ACF surgery as a spacer is a safe and very cost-effective modality compared to modern expensive artificial disc. Conclusion: Dysphagia after ACDF surgery is usually underrecognized. Although the serious complications after ACDF surgery are rare, dysphagia can cause prolonged morbidity to patients. Using bone cement alone for ACDF surgery may carry the risk of its anterior expulsion even after a long period of surgery.