J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2001 Jan;30(1):47-53.

Clinical Analysis of Spinal Cord Tumor

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to evaluate operative results and prognosis according to preoperative clinical status and histopathological finding of spinal cord tumor.
METHODS
We analyzed of clinical feature, tumor location, histopathologic finding, operative results and prognosis in 55 patients with spinal cord tumor during last 10 years.
RESULTS
1) The incidence of spinal cord tumors varies with the age of affected patients who are 2 to 75 years of age. Peak incidences were in the 5th and 7th decade of life, and the ratio of male to female was 1.2:1. 2) The most common histopathologic type was neurinoma(41.9%). 3) The tumors were located most frequently in the thoracic area(22 cases, 40.0%) and in the intradural extramedullary space(30 cases, 54.5%). 4) The most common initial clinical feature was pain in 20 cases(36.4%). For neurologic status on admission, 30 cases(54.5%) showed motor disturbance. 5) In radiologic studies, there were abnormal finding in 21 cases from plain X-rays among 37 cases. The entire 20 cases in when myelography was done showed subarachnoid blockade, either complete or incomplete. The magnetic resonance imaging, regard as the most accurate diagnostic method, revealed the exact location of the tumor and the relationship of the tumor with the adjacent anatomical structure. 6) The total removal was possible in 36 cases(65.5%), subtotal removal in 17 cases(30.9%) and biopsy in 2 cases (3.6%). Nineteen cases(90.5%) among 21 cases with preoperative radiculopathy group showed recovery or improvement, where as only 11 cases(36.7%) among 30 cases with preoperative motor weakness group showed recovery or improvement, with statistically significant difference(p<0.01). Pathologically, 26 cases(83.9%) among 31 cases of neurinoma and meningioma showed postoperative recovery or improved, but only 1 case(6.3%) among 16 cases of metastatic tumor, astrocytoma and ependymoma recovered. Postoperative complication noted in 5 cases(9.1%), and were noted postoperative hematoma, pneumonia, pulmonary edema and spinal cord infarction.
CONCLUSION
Preoperative neurologic status and histopathologic finding are considered important factors of Postoperative outcome in patients with spinal cord tumor.

Keyword

Spinal cord tumor; Surgical removal; Post-operative outcome

MeSH Terms

Astrocytoma
Biopsy
Ependymoma
Female
Hematoma
Humans
Incidence
Infarction
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Meningioma
Myelography
Neurilemmoma
Pneumonia
Postoperative Complications
Prognosis
Pulmonary Edema
Radiculopathy
Spinal Cord Neoplasms*
Spinal Cord*
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