Minimally Invasive Microsurgical Resection of Primary, Intradural Spinal Tumors is Feasible and Safe: A Consecutive Series of 83 Patients

Neurosurgery 82:365–371, 2018

To date, the traditional approach to intraspinal tumors has been open laminectomy or laminoplasty followed by microsurgical tumor resection. Recently, however, minimally invasive approaches have been attempted by some.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for primary intradural spinal tumors.

METHODS:Medical charts of 83 consecutive patients treated with MIS for intradural spinal tumors were reviewed. Patients were followed up during the study year, 2015, by either routine history/physical examination or by telephone consultation, with a focus on tumor status and surgery-related complications. RESULTS: Mean age at surgery was 53.7 yr and 52% were female. There were 49 schwannomas, 18 meningeomas, 10 ependymomas, 2 hemangioblastomas, 1 neurofibroma, 1 paraganglioma, 1 epidermoid cyst, and 1 hemangiopericytoma. The surgical mortality was 0%. In 87% of cases, gross total resection was achieved. The complication rate was 11%, including 2 cerebrospinal fluid leakages, 1 asymptomatic pseudomeningocele, 2 superficial surgical site infections, 1 sinus vein thrombosis, and 4 cases of neurological deterioration. There were no postoperative hematomas, and no cases of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Ninety-three percent of patients were ambulatory and able to work at the time of follow-up.

CONCLUSION: This study both demonstrates that it is feasible and safe to remove select, primary intradural spinal tumors using MIS, and augments the previous literature in favor of MIS for these tumors.

A New Volumetric Radiologic Method to Assess Indirect Decompression After Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion Using High-Resolution Intraoperative Computed Tomography

World Neurosurg. (2018)109:59-67

Two-dimensional radiographic methods have been proposed to evaluate the radiographic outcome after indirect decompression through extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF). However, the assessment of neural decompression in a single plane may underestimate the effect of indirect decompression on central canal and foraminal volumes. The present study aimed to assess the reliability and consistency of a novel 3-dimensional radiographic method that assesses neural decompression by volumetric analysis using a new generation of intraoperative fan-beam computed tomography scanner in patients undergoing XLIF.

METHODS: Prospectively collected data from 7 patients (9 levels) undergoing XLIF was retrospectively analyzed. Three independent, blind raters using imaging analysis software performed volumetric measurements pre- and postoperatively to determine central canal and foraminal volumes. Intrarater and Interrater reliability tests were performed to assess the reliability of this novel volumetric method.

RESULTS: The interrater reliability between the three raters ranged from 0.800 to 0.952, P < 0.0001. The test-retest analysis on a randomly selected subset of three patients showed good to excellent internal reliability (range of 0.78e1.00) for all 3 raters. There was a significant increase in mean ±20% for right foramen, left foramen, and central canal volumes postoperatively (P = 0.0472; P = 0.0066; P = 0.0003, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Here we demonstrate a new volumetric analysis technique that is feasible, reliable, and reproducible amongst independent raters for central canal and foraminal volumes in the lumbar spine using an intraoperative computed tomography scanner

 

Keyhole Supracerebellar Transtentorial Transcollateral Sulcus Approach to the Lateral Ventricle

Keyhole Supracerebellar Transtentorial Transcollateral Sulcus Approach to the Lateral Ventricle

Neurosurgery 73[ONS Suppl 2]:onsE295–onsE301, 2013

Meningiomas of the lateral ventricles are commonly located in the atria. Surgical access to such tumors is challenging because of their deep location and proximity to critical neurovascular structures, particularly if situated on the dominant side. Although a number of approaches have been described in the literature, most carry the risk of postoperative neuropsychological, visual, or speech deficits, especially when operating on the dominant hemisphere. The supracerebellar transtentorial transcollateral sulcus (STTCS) approach offers the potential to circumvent functionally important structures, reducing the risk of these approach-related neurological deficits.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Two patients with dominant hemisphere trigonal meningiomas underwent surgical resection with the use of the STTCS approach. Neuronavigation was used to carefully plan the incision, craniotomy, and exposure, and also intraoperatively to orientate the operating surgeon at key steps, particularly when raising the tentorial flap in line with the tumor. Endoscopy was used to provide increased light intensity, an extended viewing angle, and higher magnification in comparison with a microscope. Specially designed tube-shaft instruments were also used to assist with manipulation through the narrow surgical corridor. In both cases, the tumors were fully resected without approach-related morbidity.

CONCLUSION: The STTCS approach provides good access to tumors located in the trigonal region, reducing the risk of iatrogenic language or visual field deficits. In dominant hemisphere lesions, in the hands of an experienced neurosurgeon, the STTCS approach is an effective alternative to existing techniques.