Objective:
Spinal tumors are classified as extradural, intradural-extramedullary, and intradural-intramedullary according to their localization. The most commonly seen extradural spinal tumors are metastatic tumors. Meningiomas and neurinomas are mostly seen in the intradural-extramedullary group and ependymomas and astrocytomas in the intradural intramedullary group.
Methods:
In this clinical study, we analyzed 45 spinal tumor cases operated between January 2009-August 2013 retrospectively and presented their results with the clinical evaluation.
Results:
Twenty-two of the patients were male, and 23 were female. Mean age was 53.8 (range 18-80). According to localization, 24 cases were extradural, 17 cases were intradural-extramedullary, and 4 cases were intramedullary. Five of the cases were located in the cervical, 27 were in the thoracal, and 13 were in the lumbar region. Total excision was done in all the patients. Instrumentation was not applied, since instability was not observed.
Conclusion:
Spinal tumor causes radicular or local pain and neurologic deficits. Immediate surgical intervention is necessary as soon as the neurologic deficit develops. Total resection must be done; however, subtotal resection can be done in infiltrative intramedullary tumors in order not to let additional neurological deficits occur. Prognosis is related to the development period of preoperative symptoms, the degree of deficits, and histopathological diagnosis.
Keywords: Spinal tumors, surgical resection, post-operative results