[Surgical treatment of spinal metastases]

87 patients were treated for metastatic disease of the spine between 1970 and 1992. In the majority of the patients anterior decompression and stabilization was performed. The posterior approach was chosen only in case of predominant infiltration of the dorsal parts of the vertebra or in case of inaccessibility of the tumor via an anterior approach. The most common primary tumors were cancer of the breast, kidney and thyroid. Overall survival was 15.1 months. Only patients with metastases of thyroid cancer showed a statistically significant longer survival. Clinical results showed an improvement of pain in 83% and preoperative neurologic dysfunction could be improved in 53% of the patients. Our results suggest that surgical treatment improves life quality also in patients with short life expectancy. Patients who are expected to have longer survival times should be treated according to the general principles of stabilizing spine surgery.