[Advances in diagnostic procedures and treatment of spinal neoplasms]

In the years 1958-1995 in the Department of Neurosurgery in Bydgoszcz we treated operatively 160 patients (100 men and 60 women aged 5-81 yrs) with spinal tumours causing spinal cord compression. Our material was useful in estimating the evolution in diagnostic procedures, treatment and limit of contraindications to surgery. We utilized previously analyzed patients' data from the years 1958-1987 (100 patients) and compared this with results from the years 1988-1995 (60 patients). In the years 1988-1995 we operated on twice as many patients per year than in the period 1958-1987 owing to better diagnostic and operative procedures and decrease of contraindications to treatment. In about 60 percent of patients the tumours were totally and subtotally removed. In recent period we performed 10 initial procedures of transpedicular stabilization. In most cases the extensiveness of tumours did not reach the level of three spinal segments. We confirmed good early results of treatment, particularly in cases with total resection of tumours, in about half the patients with spinal neoplasm, although the most common histological diagnoses were carcinoma (89 cases). In thirty percent of cases with carcinoma only pain was diminished.