Background:
A wide variety of conditions can cause recurrent postoperative lumbar radiculopathy.
Case description:
A 49-year-old female developed sudden recurrent postoperative right leg pain after a right-sided L5S1 microdiskectomy for a herniated disc. Emergent magnetic resonance and computed tomography studies demonstrated migration of the drainage tube into the right L5S1 lateral recess compromising the S1 nerve root. Following drain removal, the patient's right reg pain immediately resolved.
Conclusion:
Migration of a lumbar wound drain into the operated lateral recess following a lumbar diskectomy may result in acute, recurrent/intractable radicular pain that was readily resolved with drain removal.