Introduction Metastatic spine disease is one of the most feared complications of cancer with serious sequelae such as torturous pain, paralysis, and sphincter and sexual dysfunction. Approximately 30% of cancer patients develop symptomatic metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) and…
Introduction Intradural extramedullary (IDEM) tumors are tumors of the neuro-axis that grow within the confines of the dura mater but are extrinsic to the spinal cord itself. Epidemiological studies have estimated the incidence of IDEM tumors to be approximately 0.74…
Introduction Spinal metastatic disease is seen in almost 40% of cancer patients, and up to 20% of those patients will have spinal cord compression. The American Cancer Society found that there were 1.7 million new cases of cancer diagnosed in…
Introduction Primary tumors may spread to the spine in 20% to 40% of cancer patients, and approximately 20% of these patients will be symptomatic from their tumors. Their symptomatology may be related to compression of the spinal cord, leading to…
Introduction Intradural extramedullary (IDEM) tumors arise within the confines of the dura mater but are not intrinsic to the spinal cord itself. Epidemiological studies have reported an incidence of approximately 0.74 per 100,000 person years. These tumors are typically considered…
Introduction Chondrosarcomas are primary malignant tumors that may arise from the cranial skull base or axial skeleton and are characterized by neoplastic growth of hyaline cartilaginous tissue. Primary spinal tumors such as chondrosarcoma only account for about 4% to 13%…
Introduction The skeleton is the third most common site of metastatic disease, with the spinal column being the most common location. Metastatic spinal disease can be found in 20% to 30% of patients with primary malignancies and leads to significant…
Introduction Metastatic spine disease occurs in approximately 20% of cancer patients, with an estimated 20,000 new cases each year. Most malignancies have the ability to spread to the spine, but the most common primary sites are lung, breast, prostate, and…
Introduction Rod fracture following complex spinal deformity correction is a common problem occurring in up to 15% of cases. Following deformity correction, the rods act as struts that allow the bony fusion to occur. The rods during this time period…
Introduction Kyphoscoliosis is the loss of the normal thoracolumbar curvature resulting in increased kyphosis as a result of either increased thoracic kyphosis or thoracolumbar kyphosis. This can result in significant amount of disability due to pain drastically altering the patient’s…