Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Optimizing Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Fully 3D CT O-Arm Navigated Workflow in MIS TLIF
Published on: October 17, 2025
Minimally invasive circumferential spinal decompression and stabilization for symptomatic metastatic spine tumor:
Alexander Taghva1, Khan W Li, John C Liu
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. taghva@usc.edu
Objective:
Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression is a potentially devastating complication of cancer and is estimated to occur in 5% to 14% of all cancer patients. It is best treated surgically. Minimally invasive spine surgery has the potential benefits of decreased surgical approach-related morbidity, blood loss, hospital stay, and time to mobilization.
Clinical Presentation:
A 36-year-old man presented with worsening back pain and lower extremity weakness. Workup revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung with spinal cord compression at T4 and T5.
Intervention And Technique:
T4 and T5 vertebrectomy with expandable cage placement and T1-T8 pedicle screw fixation and fusion were performed using minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Result:
The patient improved neurologically and was ambulatory on postoperative day 1. At the 9-month follow-up point, he remained neurologically intact and pain free, and there was no evidence of hardware failure.
Conclusion:
Minimally invasive surgical circumferential decompression may be a viable option for the treatment of metastatic epidural spinal cord compression.
