• The fundamentals of spinal tumors:
• When should I suspect that I have spinal cord tumor?
• What are the treatment options available for spinal tumors?
• How safe is surgery for spinal tumors?
• How different is spinal surgery from other surgeries performed?

The fundamentals of spinal tumors:

Spinal tumors are abnormal growths of cells in and around the spinal cord, often caused by metastatic cancer or primary spinal tumors. These tumors can be benign or malignant. Timely Spine Tumor Surgery is essential for effective treatment, preventing complications, and restoring quality of life.

Spinal tumors are classified according to the region where they are found such as cervical, thoracic, lumbar or sacral tumors as well as their location within the spine such as intradural-extra-medullary, intramedullary and extradural.

The most common types of intradural-extramedullary tumor to affect the adult population are meningiomas, neurofibromas and ependymomas. Of the intramedullary type, the most common tumors are gliomas, ependymomas and lipomas. The most common extradural tumors are usually secondary deposits from elsewhere in the body or they can be schwannomas.

Primary spinal tumors are very rare, and the incidence is only around one spinal tumor for every intracranial tumor which occurs.

The causes: Although the cause for many of the primary spinal tumors remain unknown, some tumors such as spinal cord lymphomas are thought to arise as a result of a compromised immune system. The presence of genetic conditions such as Neurofibromatosis 2 and Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome has been associated with the development of spinal tumors.

When should I suspect that I have spinal cord tumor?

There a set of common symptoms, which patients who have been plagued by spinal tumors commonly complaint of. These include:

• Backache – which is by far the commonest symptom. Pain which is gradually increasing, worse at night and worsens with activity. If the tumor is compressing nerve roots, you may experience radiating pain shooting down your arms or legs, depending on the location.
• Tingling sensation or loss of sensation in your arms and legs
• Muscle weakness in the extremities
• Loss of bladder and bowel function
• Paralysis in certain areas of the body depending on the location of the tumor
• Deformities of the spine such as scoliosis

What are the treatment options available for spinal tumors?

Your treatment options for spine tumors include non-surgical methods and surgical methods. Non-surgical methods include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Sometimes if the tumor has been found accidentally while investigating for other conditions, is still in its early stages and is not causing symptoms or disability, then watchful waiting, to see if it is growing bigger is also a form of treatment that some doctors may suggest. Because the risks of living with a tumor which is not growing outweighs the risks of undergoing surgery.

Radiation therapy is often used to treat metastatic spinal tumors or secondary deposits. It involves delivering doses of high energy radiation to those areas of the body affected by the tumor cells, in order to destroy the cells. The latest method of delivering radiation therapy uses an instrument called the cyber knife which uses a robotic arm in order to deliver focused high dose radiation to the spinal cord, and is thought to be extremely useful because of the flexibility of the arm, which makes it all the more precise.

Chemotherapy makes use of chemicals which are either taken orally or injected into a vein, which are then taken up by the tumor cells and causes slow destruction of these cells.

A variety of surgical methods are available for the treatment of spinal tumors. Which of these procedures a patient undergoes, will be decided by the doctor, depending on factors such as the type of spinal tumor the patient has, the exact location and size of it as well as patient factors such as the age and general health status of the patient. The different types of surgical procedures include:

• Laminectomy and Excision of Tumour

  – where the entire tumor or part of it is excised/removed along with part of the vertebral column in order to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord, because of which the spinal cord is being compressed and causing symptoms.

• Embolization

  – is a procedure which is most often used along with other techniques because it helps to shrink the tumor. The procedure passes a catheter from the groin to tumor-supplying blood vessels, blocking them with an embolic agent for treatment. This will cut off the blood supply to the tumor, prevent its growth, leading to a reduction in the size of the tumor.

• Spine stabilization surgery

  – which is used when your spine has become unstable because of the weakening of the vertebrae which make up the vertebral column, which houses the spinal cord. Bone-invading spinal tumors can cause vertebral fractures, requiring stabilization through procedures like kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, or bone grafting for support.

  Kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty

•  – is the injection of bone cement into a fractured vertebra in order to make it stable. Spinal tumors invading bone can weaken and fracture it, requiring stabilization using bone-like substitutes to restore structural integrity.
  

  How safe is surgery for spinal tumors?

Spinal surgery has evolved in more ways than one over the years. Technological advancements, precision tools, and accurate imaging have enabled minimally invasive spinal procedures, allowing surgeons safer, more effective access to the spinal cord. Although some risk remains, surgeons can minimize it effectively, ensuring safer procedures and better outcomes for patients undergoing surgery.

Advancements in medical technology allow surgeons to perform increasingly successful Spine Tumor Surgery, helping patients restore their health, mobility, and overall quality of life effectively. Avoiding spinal surgery can be more dangerous than the risks, potentially causing vertebral fractures, spinal cord compression, and partial paralysis. Timely tumor excision is crucial, and for benign tumors, complete Spine Tumor Surgery offers the best chance for a healthy life.

How different is spinal surgery from other surgeries performed?

All major surgeries involve risks due to general anesthesia, unconsciousness, body incisions, and insertion of surgical instruments during procedures. So any major surgery performed in any part of your body, will be a tough decision to make.

Spinal surgeries are different because they don’t involve a very large incision, and surgeons are always trying to make it as minimally invasive as possible, with the use of the most accurate tools making spinal surgeries much safer than they were in the days gone by. Spinal surgeries carry minimal bleeding risk compared to other procedures, as no major blood vessels are easily punctured during surgery.

Debilitating spinal tumor symptoms drive patients to choose spinal tumour excision surgery, aiming for improved health and better life quality.

Conclusion

Spine Tumor Surgery plays a vital role in effectively managing spinal tumors, whether benign or malignant. Timely intervention helps relieve pain, prevent complications like fractures or neurological damage, and restore mobility. With advancements in surgical techniques, patients can expect safer procedures and improved quality of life.

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