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Interspinous device - displaced

Case contributed by Frank Gaillard
Diagnosis not applicable

Presentation

Patient underwent spinal surgery with initially reasonable clinical response. Two months later the symptoms recurred.

Patient Data

Age: Elderly
x-ray

Postoperative films demonstrate an interspinous process decompression device (X-STOP) at the L4/5 level. Note the anterolisthesis of L4 on L5.

2 months later

x-ray

Films obtained two months later demonstrate that the device has rotated and shifted posteriorly, out from between the spinous processes. 

Case Discussion

Interspinous process decompression devices, like the X-STOP in this case, are a minimally invasive approach to elderly patients with spondylosis. In this case, the device has rotated out from between the spinous processes. 

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