Surgical strategy of spinal hemangioma / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

[Objective] To discuss the surgical treatment strategy of spinal hemangioma.[Methods]Data on 33 patients with spinal hemangioma treated from October 1997 to October 2008 were reviewed.There were 19 females and 14 males.The average age was 54 years old.Chief complaints were pain(n=13),myelopathy(n=12),radiculopathy plus local pain(n=8).Nine patients without spinal cord and radial nerve compression underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP),and 24 patients with spinal cord and radial nerve compression,paravertebral soft tissue mass or spinal unstability were treated by operation.Anterior,anteroposterior and posterior approaches were used in 9,12,and 3 patients respectively.Transarterial embolization was done in 3 patients.[Results]No perioperative complication was observed in 9 patients after PVP,with a mean follow-up of 41 months.Pain was relieved.There was no perioperative death among the 24 patients who received operation.The blood loss during operation was 2739 ml and 1619 ml for anterior and posterior approaches,respectively(P=0.12).One case of paravertebral hematoma,one case of spinal canal hematoma,and one case of wound infection were observed in this group.Pain was relieved in 89%(17/19)of the patients.According to the Frankel Scale,the neurologic situation was improved in all the 12 patients with myelopathy.By a mean follow-up of 48 months,no internal fixation failure was seen.Tumor recurrence or growth was found in 4 patients,two had no symptoms and one underwent radiotherapy for pain.Repeated operation was performed in one patient with myelopathy.[Conclusion]Most patients with symptomatic spinal hemangioma could be treated successfully by surgery.Individual surgical plan should be made according to the reason causing symptoms and the general condition of the patient.