[Spinal cord tumors in childhood--experience with 31 patients]

Spinal tumors are rare diseases of childhood. The initial symptoms are often very uncharacteristic and the diagnosis is delayed for a long time. From 1970-1983 31 children with intraspinal tumors were seen. The location of these tumors was 7 times intramedullar, 13 times extramedullar-intradural and 11 times extradural. History, findings and treatment of these patients are reported and compared with the available literature. Despite the well known diagnostic problems, early diagnosis and treatment are of the greatest importance for the prognosis.