Changes in sagittal alignment after surgical excision of thoracic spinal cord tumors in adults

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective chart audit. Objectives: This study investigated changes in sagittal alignment in adults after excision of thoracic spinal cord tumors without spinal fixation. Setting: Single-center study at an academic orthopedic department in Japan. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records for 32 adults who underwent excision of thoracic spinal cord tumors by multilevel laminectomies without fixation. The participants were divided according to whether the tumor was in the upper (T1–4), middle (T5–8), or lower (T9–12) thoracic spine. We analyzed parameters such as age, sex, time in surgery and estimated blood loss, follow-up period, and preoperative and follow-up the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores and radiographs. Results: Postoperative T1-12 kyphotic changes did not correlate with age, the number of resected laminae, or preoperative T1-12 kyphosis. JOA recovery rates were similar regardless of the tumor location. Participants with tumors in the upper thoracic spine had significant postoperative increases in T1–4 kyphosis, T1 slope (p