Posterior-only approach in patients with poor general condition and spinal metastatic vertebral fracture

Purpose

The surgical treatment of spinal metastases is mostly palliative in nature and focuses on improving the quality of life of patients. The posterior transpedicular surgical approach provides circumferential 360° decompression, allows reconstruction and stabilisation to be achieved in a single session and can be performed using an open, mini-open or minimally invasive approach. We present and discuss the surgical techniques and outcomes for patients with single-level metastatic spinal disease and in poor general condition who underwent surgery via the posterior-only transpedicular corpectomy approach and reconstruction with expandable corpectomy cages.

Methods

Patients with a single level thoracolumbar metastatic disease (T3-L5) and a Karnofsky score of ≤70, who underwent a complete posterior transpedicular corpectomy with expandable cage reconstruction of the anterior spinal column were retrospectively reviewed. Patients’ demographics, SINS, modified Tokuhashi scores as well as preoperative and postoperative ASIA scale, Karnofsky scores, VAS scores and vertebral height/Cobb angle values were analysed.

Results

A total of 44 patients (24 M/20 F) (mean age 53.25 ± 21.26 years) met the inclusion criteria. The modified Tokuhashi scores were as follows: score 0–8, 5 (11.4%) patients; score 9–11, 14 (31.8%) patients; and score 12–15, 25 (56.8%) patients. There were significant improvements in the postoperative VAS scores (mean 7.7–2.9), Karnofsky scores (mean 63.3–79.6) as well as the Cobb angles (18.6–12.8°) and vertebral height. Thirtyfive patients showed improved neurological function by at least one ASIA grade, whereas 9 showed no improvement during the postoperative period.

Conclusions

This technique, which has a low complication rate and a short recovery time, can help achieve satisfactory results even in patients with poor metabolic profiles and Karnofsky scores in the preoperative period. Further clinical studies with large patient groups are warranted to confirm the results of this study.