Breakage of a Pituitary Rongeur Tip: An Unforeseen Complication of Lumbar Microdiscectomy: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Case: A 46-year-old man with left leg radiculopathy due to a left L4-5 disc extrusion had a lumbar microdiscectomy that was complicated by the pituitary rongeur tip breaking in the L4-5 disc space. The rongeur tip was successfully retrieved by widening the entry access without damaging the adjoining facet and utilizing a blunt nerve hook and probe dissector.
Conclusion: Breakage of the pituitary rongeur tip is an unforeseen complication of lumbar microdiscectomy. Surgeons should be aware of this potential complication, ideally confirm the rongeur is intact prior to wound coverage, and understand the risks versus benefits of attempting to retrieve a broken rongeur tip.
Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/C16).
(Copyright © 2023 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)