Costotransversectomy

Indications

• Costotransversectomy provides a posterolaterally directed corridor of access to the costovertebral joints, lateral spinal canal, and neural foramina and to a portion of the posterolateral vertebral body located from T1-12.

• Lateral or paracentral soft disk herniations.

• Epidural or bony tumor debulking or removal.

• Thoracic sympathectomy.

• Osteomyelitis or diskitis with or without abscess.

• Canal decompression for trauma.

• Epidural metastasis in which palliation rather than en bloc resection is the goal.

• Intractable costovertebral joint pain associated with ankylosing spondylitis.

• Need for a thoracic approach with a relatively low rate of pulmonary and vascular morbidities.