Results of surgical treatment of the thoracic spinal nerve tumors: a retrospective analysis

Abstract

Objective. To analyze clinical and morphological features of neurogenic hourglass tumors in the thoracic spine and their impact on outcomes of treatment through posterior surgical approaches.Material and Methods. The results of surgical treatment of 295 patients with tumors growing from the nerve roots of the thoracic spinal cord were studied. In 63 (21 %) of them, tumors of the spinal nerves were diagnosed. The vast majority of neoplasms were represented by Grade 1 neuromas – in 57 (90 %) patients, Grade 1 neurofibromas were found in 3 (5 %) patients, and High-grade malignant tumors – in 3 (5 %). Intracanal neoplasms were found in 42 (66.7 %) cases and intraextravertebral (hourglass) – in 21 (33.3 %).Results. Microsurgical removal of tumor was performed using two types of low-traumatic surgical approaches: 1) posterior median approach – in 56 (89.0 %) cases, of which hemilaminectomy was performed in 36 (64.4%) cases, interlaminectomy – in 15 (26.8 %) cases, and laminectomy – in 5 (8.1 %) cases; 2) paravertebral approach – in 7 (11.0 %) out of 63 cases with partial facetotomy or facetectomy and resection of part of the head and upper or lower edge of the rib at the same level. Tumors were removed totally in 56 (88.9 %) patients and subtotally – in 7 (11.1%). Intracanal tumors were removed totally in 40 (95.2 %) patients. A similar totality was achieved in removal of 16 (76.2 %) of hourglass neurinomas. Surgical interventions performed in the early postoperative period improved the functional state of  patients: the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) index increased from 70–80 to 90 %, the VAS pain score decreased from 5–6 to 2 points. Good clinical outcomes were achieved in 42 (66.7 %) patients, satisfactory – in 17 (27.0 %), and unsatisfactory – in 6 (6.3 %). Twenty nine patients had symptoms of myelopathy, complete regression of which occurred in 3 (10.3 %) cases, partial – in 9 (34.6 %), in 13 (50.0 %) cases they remained at the preoperative level, and in 4 (15.4 %) – worsened.Conclusion. The use of modern neurointroscopy, microsurgical techniques and low-traumatic posterior surgical approaches for resection of tumors of the spinal nerve roots in the thoracic spine provides good clinical outcomes of treatment in the early postoperative period. The existing hourglass tumor in the thoracic spine reduces the likelihood of its total removal when performing a low-traumatic posterior approach.