The results of surgical treatment of primary spinal tumors.

A series of 72 primary spinal tumors including 57 malignant and 15 benign ones were treated surgically from the years 1961 to 1987. Neurologic complications developed in 52 patients, with paraplegia in 20, spastic paraparesis in 19, cauda damage in 11, and brachial plexus injury in two cases. The principles of the treatment were excision of the tumor, decompression of nervous elements, and stabilization of the spine. Surgical treatment was supplemented with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both. In the group of benign tumors, no deaths occurred and the clinical results were good. The results obtained in the group of malignant neoplasms were evaluated according to survival time and were analyzed separately for the dying and the surviving patients. In this group of 57 patients, 42 died, 17 dying within one year (three died from postoperative complications). In the remaining 25 patients surviving over one year, the mean survival time was four years and four months. Fifteen patients are alive, and their mean survival is five years and three months. The neurologic results in 39 patients surviving over six months were good in 92.3% of cases. Regression, or significant improvement of neurologic disturbances, was of considerable importance for the survival time. At the present time, surgical treatment combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the most favorable method for the treatment of primary spinal tumors.