Surgical Treatment of Metastatic Tumors of the Spine

Metastatic tumors involving the spine cause severe pain and paraplegia. Vertebral body collapse results in spinal collapse results in spinal instability. In order to promote stability and improve pain, anterior fusion with bone cement and posterior fusion with instruments were used. Retrospective study was carried out of 16 cases of the metastatic tumor of the spine in Ewha Womans University Hospital Orthopedic Surgical dept. from Jan. 1982 to Dec. 1988. We have analyzed the results of treatment and obtained following conclusions.

The results were as follows :

1) Of the 16 patients, the ratio of men to women approximately 3:5 and the high incidence was over 5th. decades.

2) According to tumor classification, reproductive tract tumor was in 4 cases(25%), gastric, lung and hepato-biliary tumors in 2 cases each(12%), thyroid tumor in 1 case(7%) unknown origin in 5 cases(31%).

3) The thoracic spine commonly involved in 12 cases(75%).

4) Anterior fusion with bone cement was in 11 cases and posterior fusion with instrument in 4 cases. Both anterior and posterior fusion was in 1 case.

5) In functional results, the ambulation was achieved in 14 cases postoperatively, in 12 cases at 6 months, and 10 cases finally.

6) The surgical treatment was valuable, because the good results were appeared in 62.5% finally with loss of pain.