RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS WHO UNDERWENT SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR SPINAL TUMOR BETWEEN 1999 AND 2022

Abstract

Objective: To present our results of spinal tumor surgery and to compare them with the current literature. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 281 patients with spinal tumors who had been operated in our department between 1999 and 2022; regarding their preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative clinical and histopathological characteristics in detail and compared our results with current literature. Results: Male patients were predominant and the mean age of patients with metastatic spinal tumors was significantly higher than those with primary tumors. 63% of spinal tumors were primary and the remaining 37% were metastatic. Ependymoma, schwannoma, and meningioma were the most common histological types, whereas metastatic spinal tumors mostly arise from lung, prostate and breast cancers. The most common anatomical locations of spinal tumors were the lumbosacral (51.6%) and thoracic (43.8%) regions. Total excision was higher in primary tumors, whereas gross total and subtotal excisions were higher in metastatic tumors. Intraoperative neuromonitoring was used in 40.2% of all surgeries. Improvement rates in postoperative physical examination were higher in metastatic spinal tumors. Most patients in the primary spinal tumor group did not exhibit any motor or sensory deficits during both pre- and postoperative periods. Conclusion: Most spinal tumors is primary and benign in nature. An adequate number of excisions could be achieved with appropriate surgical techniques, and total excision must be aimed in primary spinal tumors.