[Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy in the treatment of patients with degenerative diseases of the lumbosacral spine]. / Opyt primeneniia perkutannoi éndoskopicheskoi diskéktomii v lechenii patsientov s degenerativnymi zabolevaniiami poiasnichno-kresttsovogo otdela pozvonochnika.

Modern surgery uses a variety of treatments for spine pathology. Endoscopic techniques have become particularly popular across the world over the past decade. In this article, we summarize our experience and analyze the immediate and long-term results of surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation using a percutaneous fully endoscopic technique for removing the herniated intervertebral disc, which is new for Russian medical practice. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy in the treatment of herniated lumbar discs in patients with radicular pain syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a cohort retrospective study that included 69 patients who underwent herniated disc removal using the percutaneous endoscopic technique. Surgery was performed through two approaches: the intralaminar approach was used in 44 patients, and the transforaminal approach was used in 25 patients. To assess the efficacy of surgery, we used a visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain: the intensity of local pain (VAS1) and the intensity of radicular pain (VAS2). Changes in the quality of life and ability to work were assessed by using the Oswestry scale; patient satisfaction with treatment was assessed by using the MacNab scale. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period after surgery was 24 months. An analysis of changes in the pain syndrome (VAS1 and VAS2) before surgery and in the early postoperative period demonstrated a significant regression of pain regardless of the approach type (r=0.25). Patients' survey (MacNab scale) in the long-term postoperative period revealed no unsatisfactory results; excellent, good, and satisfactory results were observed in 21 (30%), 32 (46%), and 16 (24%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy is an effective surgical treatment for degenerative diseases of the lumbosacral spine, providing excellent and good treatment outcomes in most operated patients.

[The use of intraoperative neuroimaging tools and a navigation system in surgical treatment of primary and metastatic tumors of the spine].

INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment of spinal tumors is associated with a high risk of intraoperative complications, including injury to the spinal cord, its roots, and large vessels both during tumor resection and at the stabilization stage during implantation of pedicular or corporal screws. The use of intraoperative neuroimaging tools and a navigation system in surgical treatment of oncological diseases of the spine enables identifying the location and extension of a tumor lesion directly in the operating room, which provides control of the resection area and the possibility of the spine stabilization under disturbed anatomy conditions when bone density is altered by the osteolytic process or systemic changes. Also, the risk of injury to the major blood vessels is reduced. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Surgical treatment of 156 patients with primary and metastatic tumors of the spine was performed at the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute in the period from 2002 to December 2014. Twelve patients underwent diagnostic intervention (transcutaneous biopsy), and 35 patients underwent surgery using intraoperative CT and a navigation systems. The indication for biopsy using both CT and the navigation system was the presence of a spinal tumor not verified by a pathomorphological examination. An O-arm intraoperative computed tomography scanner and a Medtronic's StealthStation S7 Navigation System were used in all cases. CONCLUSION: The use of both CT and the navigation system provides high quality treatment and significantly reduces radiation exposure to the medical personnel and patient. The possibility of intraoperative identification of the location and extension of a tumor in bone tissue facilitates adequate tumor resection within the intact surgical margin, with the surrounding vessels and neurological structures being under real-time control.

[Extradural spinal cord hemangioblastoma (a case report and literature review)]. / Ekstradural'naya gemangioblastoma spinnogo mozga (sluchai iz praktiki i obzor literatury).

Hemangioblastoma is a rare CNS vascular tumor that develops sporadically and can also be associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Hemangioblastomas account for 2-6% of all spinal cord tumors and are ranked third in the structure of intramedullary space-occupying lesions of the spinal cord. For the first time in our practice, we observed a dumbbell paravertebral hemangioblastoma. The international literature reports only 3 cases of the tumor with this growth type.

[Modern treatments for degenerative disc diseases of the lumbosacral spine. A literature review]. / Sovremennye metody lecheniia degenerativnykh zabolevanii mezhpozvonkovogo diska. Obzor literatury.

Many researchers consider degenerative diseases of the spine as a pandemic of the XXIst century. Herniated intervertebral discs of the lumbosacral spine occur in 61% of patients with degenerative spine diseases. Of these, 15% of patients have herniated discs at the LII-LIII level, 10% of patients at the LIII-LIV level, and 40% of patients at the LIV-LV and LV-SI levels. A high cost of conservative treatment of degenerative spine disease symptoms and its low efficacy in reducing the intensity and duration of pain necessitate the development of new methods of surgical treatment. In this paper, we analyze the literature data on minimally invasive spine surgery and demonstrate the main advantages of percutaneous endoscopic surgical techniques.

[Comprehensive assessment of the outcomes of surgical treatment of patients with metastatic spinal cord injuries].

INTRODUCTION: Every year the number of cancer patients increases due to increased life expectancy. According to various sources, metastases in the spine are found during autopsy in 30-90% of patients with a history of cancer. So far, there have been no full-scale studies of the quality of life of patients with various metastatic tumors of the spine who underwent surgical treatment in Russian literature. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the need for implementing the comprehensive treatment of patients with metastases in the spine and target setting as the main tool to identify the factors that adversely affect the patients' quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The quality of life of 56 patients aged 16 to 81 years was assessed, including 26 males and 30 females. Twenty-six patients underwent surgical treatment between 2002 and 2009, and thirty patients underwent surgical treatment between 2009 and 2014. Kidney cancer was a primary disease in 30.3% of patients, multiple myeloma was a primary disease in 23.1% of cases, and the primary source of a tumor was not identified in cancer screening in 10.5% of cases. There were also isolated cases of melanoma, thymoma, metastases of tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, uterus, ovary, lung, prostate, pancreas, and the thyroid gland, which on the average amounted to 3.5% (1.8 to 7.14%). The quality of life of patients was studied using the EORTC QLQ C30 scale. The patients were surveyed prior to the surgery and then 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgical treatment during 1 year or until death. Preoperative and postoperative contrast-enhanced SCT and MRI examinations were used to control the extent of decompression of neural structures. RESULTS: On the basis of these findings, the authors identified the main factors affecting the quality of life of patients and formulated a range of treatment goals for patients with metastases in the spine. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment has a positive effect on the quality of life of patients with metastases in the spine. However, it is not a key factor in the context of survival rate of these patients. Therefore, a decision on the possibility and necessity of surgical treatment should be taken in cooperation with the patient and oncologists of different specialties.