Experience with 349 cases of intradural spinal tumors at Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar

To analyze the variables of patients operated for intradural spinal tumors at Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. An analytical descriptive study Place and duration of study: Department of Neurosurgery Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, from April 2003 to March 2010 [7 years]. Medical record of patients with spinal tumors were revised and patients suffering from intradural spinal tumors were searched. There were total 572 cases of spinal tumors, of which 349 had different intradural lesions. Their clinical features, radiological reports, peroperative findings and histological reports were analyzed in different aspects. Of the total 349 patients with intradural spinal tumors 201 were males and 148 female, with male to female ratio of almost 1.4:1. Age of the patients ranged between 2 years to 77 years, with median of 39.2 years. The common clinical features were backache, leg weakness, parasthesia and poor sphincters. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the spine was the main [309 cases] diagnostic tool along with plain x-ray and myelography in limited cases [35 cases]. CT myelogram was done only in 5 cases. Dorsal spine was involved in 62.5% cases, lumber and cervical spine in 25.5% and 12% patients respectively. Neurofibroma was the commonest [51%] intradural spinal tumor, we also had meningioma in 30.66%. Other intraspinal lesions were dermoid, lipoma, ependymoma, astrocytoma, tuberculoma, arachnoid and hydatid cysts. Of all the spinal tumors intradural are more common [61%] than extradural. Neurofibroma and meningioma constituted majority of cases belonging to extramedullary intradural group, while ependymoma and dermoid were common intramedullary tumor. 3rd and 5th decade of life were the common age group for both intramedulary and extramedullary tumors. Intramedullary tumors were common in 3rd decade of life