Technical nuances of a posterior-only L5 vertebrectomy with anterior column reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Burst fractures involving the L5 vertebra are quite rare . They can be managed with anterior, posterior, or combined 360 approaches. Here, we report a 25-year-old female who presented with a traumatic cauda equina syndrome attributed to an L5 burst fracture following a motor vehicle accident, and who did well after a posterior-only decompression/fusion. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 25-year-old female presented with a traumatic cauda equina syndrome attributed to an L5 burst fracture following a motor vehicle accident. She was treated with a posterior-only vertebrectomy and followed for 5 postoperative months. During this time, she experienced complete resolution of her preoperative neurological deficit and demonstrated radiographically confirmed spinal stability. CONCLUSION: One of the major pros for the all-posterior L5 corpectomy as in this case, was that the patient underwent a successful single-stage, single-position operation. However, the posterior-only L5 corpectomy approach is technically demanding, and only allows for the placement of a lower profile interbody cage.