Horner Syndrome After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury – A Rare Complication

Anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) is a common surgery for various cervical spine problems. Horner's syndrome (HS), characterized by ptosis, miosis, and anhydrosis, is a rare complication of this procedure, resulting from damage to the cervical sympathetic trunk. The cervical sympathetic trunk's proximity to the longus colli muscle during surgery makes it vulnerable to injury. Injury can occur through forceful retraction, sectioning, or cauterization of this muscle. This case report describes a patient who developed Horner's syndrome after undergoing ACDF for a traumatic spinal cord injury, highlighting the importance of understanding and avoiding this rare complication.

• 1
  A 42-year-old female developed Horner's Syndrome (ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis) after undergoing anterior cervical spine surgery (C5-C6 corpectomy and fusion) for a traumatic spinal cord injury.
• 2
  The patient's Horner's syndrome persisted even one year after the surgery, suggesting complete sectioning of sympathetic fibres during surgery.
• 3
  Intraoperative injury to the cervical sympathetic trunk (CST), specifically during retraction or dissection of the longus colli muscle, is a possible cause of Horner's Syndrome after ACDF.