Recurrence of benign spinal neoplasms

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Oncology
• Spinal Surgery

Background:

• Benign spinal neoplasms are surgically treated with excellent outcomes.
• Recurrence risk is low, particularly with complete resection.
• Long-term follow-up is crucial for managing benign spinal tumors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes and recurrence rates of benign spinal tumors.
• To analyze the course of illness and surgical treatment effectiveness.
• To establish recommendations for postoperative follow-up.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 197 benign spinal tumors treated between 1980 and 1999.
• Analysis of clinical history, signs, surgical approach, outcome, and radiological reports.
• Categorization of tumor types, resection completeness, and recurrence events.

Main Results:

• Meningioma (41%), neurinoma (33%), and neurofibroma (6.1%) were the most common benign spinal tumors.
• Complete resection was achieved in 79.7% of cases.
• Recurrence occurred in 10.2% of patients, with a mean time to recurrence of 4.3 years.

Conclusions:

• Benign spinal tumors can typically be completely removed without causing neurological deficits.
• A 10.2% recurrence rate highlights the need for long-term patient monitoring.
• Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended for up to 5 years.