Hospital Practices and Research

Abstract Background: Iatrogenic dural tear is a relatively common complication in lumbar spine surgery; however, little information exists about the frequency of this condition and its complications in our country.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the frequency of dural tear and its complications in lumbar spine surgery.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 884 patients who underwent lumbar spine surgery and were referred to Kashani and Alzahra hospitals from 2020 to 2021. Information including age, gender, type of surgery, duration of surgery, duration of hospitalization, number of hospitalizations, need for a second surgery, number of previous surgeries, complications of surgery, involved vertebrae, and underlying diseases were extracted from the checklist.
Results: Among 884 patients who underwent lumbar spine surgery, iatrogenic dural tear was observed in 62 patients (7%). Fever, headache, and wound site complications were observed in 8 (12.9%), 22 (35.5%), and 4 patients (6.5%), respectively. Moreover, the duration of surgery in the total group and the dural tear group was 195 ± 76.2 and 204.13 ± 71.69 minutes, respectively. The duration of hospitalization in the total group and the dural tear group was 3.10 ± 1.3 and 4.08 ± 2.68 days, respectively. Laminectomy was performed in 24.09% and 24.2% of patients in these two groups, respectively.
Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, the frequency of dural tear was 7%, which may be affected by several factors, including age, duration of surgery and hospitalization, underlying disease, smoking, and history of previous surgery.