Cerebellar Hemorrhage and Spinal Fluid Overdrainage With Tonsillar Herniation Following Spine Surgery

Spinal fluid overdrainage with cerebellar hemorrhage is a rare complication of spinal surgery that can have severe consequences if not detected quickly. We present the case of a 72-year-old Caucasian female who underwent thoracolumbar fixation for flatback syndrome. Intraoperatively, the patient suffered a dural injury that was repaired. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient’s neurological status rapidly deteriorated within an hour and Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain output measured 300 ml of serosanguinous fluid. A stat CT scan revealed cerebellar hemorrhage, pneumocephalus, and tonsillar herniation. The postoperative drain was immediately removed, and a ventriculostomy tube was placed, confirming low intracranial pressure. Postoperatively, the patient was electively ventilated for three days, continued with remote cerebellar hemorrhage (RCH) treatment and precaution, and extubated on the third day as the patient’s neurological function continued to improve. The patient was discharged home nine days after the initial surgery, with a complete recovery. This case indicates that wound drainage in the face of durotomy can induce cerebellar herniation as early as within an hour postoperatively following spine surgery with a dural tear, even after dural repair. This case also suggests that early recognition and appropriate management of RCH is the key to a full recovery. Even in the event of tonsillar herniation and cerebellar hemorrhage, a complete recovery is possible with early recognition and proper management.