[Vertebro-medullary lesions: recent therapeutic approaches (author's transl)]

Before initiating the treatment of vertebro-medullary lesions, a precise classification of the lesion and stabilization of injured bone structures are necessary. Particular attention should be given to the differential diagnosis between total and partial transverse lesions, which requires an exact neurologic and radiological examination, analysis of liquor cerebrospinalis and, in some cases, myelography. Laminectomy proved to be of little value for 157 patients with total transverse lesions treated at the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Milan. Better results were obtained with traction and stabilization (plaster jackets). Due to high incidence of trophic and septic complications, patients should be treated exclusively in highly specialized centres.