Intraoperative Kirschner Wire Migration during Robotic Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Abstract

We present the case of a 58-year-old woman who underwent a minimally invasive robotic-assisted L4-S1 instrumentation and fusion which was complicated by a Kirschner wire (K-wire) fracture and migration into the abdominal cavity necessitating emergent exploratory laparotomy. Retrieval of the K-wire proceeded without incident, and the patient had an otherwise uneventful surgery and recovery. This is the first such case description reported in the literature. As minimally invasive robotic-assisted spine procedures become more common, it is essential for the anesthesiologist to be familiar with potential complications to manage such patients in the perioperative period optimally.