Spinal cord herniation as a complication of en bloc, multilevel, anterior thoracic vertebrectomy for a giant cell tumor: success of posterior cord reduction and dural repair.

Iatrogenic spinal cord herniation is a rare complication following spinal stabilization surgery. The authors present a case of circumferential thoracic tumor decompression and fixation by anterior instrumentation complicated by delayed anterior spinal cord herniation. This complication resulted in progressive paraparesis 5 years after the original procedure.