Abstract
The goal of surgical treatment for metastatic spinal tumor is to improve the quality of the patient's remaining years by pain relief and preservation or restoration of neurological function. Between 1987 and 1996, we performed surgical intervention for metastatic spinal tumor on 19 patients (10 males and 9 females). Age range was from 38 to 77 years with a mean of 61. We conducted the posterior stabilizations with Luque rods on 18 patients and Harrington rods on one. All rods were fixed with sublaminar wires at two vertebral levels above and below the level of the lesion. After surgery, all patients were relieved of pain, 12 of 18 (67%) had noticeable neurological improvement, and 6 of 14 (43%) achieved improvement in activity level. Four complications occurred loosening of wire, prolonged wound healing, and protrusion and failure of rods. Fifteen patients (79%) survived for more than three months after stabilizations. On the basis of these results, we concluded that posterior stabilization with Luque or Harrington rods is a reliable procedure for treatment of metastatic spinal tumor.
