J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2008 Mar;43(3):135-138. 10.3340/jkns.2008.43.3.135.

Spinal Schwannoma; Analysis of 40 Cases

• Jeon JH
• Hwang HS
• Jeong JH
• Park SH
• Moon JG
• Kim CH

• KMID: 2067319
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2008.43.3.135

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study is to report our experience of 40 cases of spinal schwannoma.
METHODS
From 1995 to 2006, medical records were retrospectively reviewed in 40 cases of spinal schwannoma.
RESULTS
We treated 40 spinal schwannomas in 38 (22 male and 16 female) patients. The mean age was 50.2. Four cases were sited in the cervical spine, 11 cases in the thoracic spine, and 25 cases in the lumbar spine. Two patients showed recurrences. Thirty-eight cases were intradural-extramedullary type and 2 cases were extradural. Two cases (5%) including 1 recurred case had no postoperative motor improvement. Ninety-five percents of patients improved on postoperative motor grade.
CONCLUSION
Spinal schwannoma is mostly benign and extramedullary tumor. There were 2 recurred cases (5%) that had history of previous subtotal removal at first operation and had shown worse prognosis compared with the cases without recurrence. To reduce the recurrence of spinal schannoma, total excision of tumor mass should be done.

Keyword

Spinal schwannoma; Recurrence; Laminoplasty

MeSH Terms

Humans
Male
Medical Records
Neurilemmoma
Prognosis
Recurrence
Retrospective Studies
Spine