Retropharyngeal cerebrospinal fluid collection as a cause of postoperative dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy

Background: Transient dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy is not uncommon. It is usually related to esophageal edema secondary to retraction, mechanical adhesions of the esophagus to the anterior spine, and stretch injuries to nerves involved in the swallowing mechanism. Structurally induced dysphagia, secondary to laceration of the neck viscera or to the presence of retropharyngeal masses, is by far less frequent, and it does not usually improve over time. Case Description: The authors present the case of a 36-year-old woman who complained of severe dysphagia both for solids and liquids after C4 through C5 anterior discectomy and fusion,complicated by a millimetric dural tear of the anterior thecal sac. Postoperative neuroimaging revealed retropharyngeal fluid collection, extending in front of the vertebral bodies of C3, C4, and C5, exerting a mass effect on the posterior wall of the pharynx. Taking into account both the MRI aspect of the collection and the dramatic improvement of symptoms after lumbar punctures, we conducted a diagnosis of CSF collection in continuity with the subarachnoid space. The dysphagia and the CSF collection resolved with conservative therapy (bed rest and 3 lumbar punctures). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, such a complication has never been described before in the literature. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with postoperative dysphagia lasting more than 48 hours.