Background: Spinal metastases lead to bony instability and spinal cord compression resulting
in intractable pain and neurological deficits which affect ambulatory function and
quality of life. The most appropriate treatment for spinal metastasis is still debated.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical outcome, quality of life, complications,
and survival after surgical treatment of spinal metastases. Methods: Retrospective review of patients with spinal metastases surgically treated at our
facility between March 2008 and March 2013 was performed. Evaluations include hospital
charts, initial and interval imaging studies, neurological outcome, and surgical complications.
Follow-up examinations were performed every 3 months after surgery. Results: Seventy patients underwent surgical intervention for treatment of spinal metastasis
in our institution. There were 27 women and 43 men. The preoperative pain was reported
in 65 patients (93%), whereas postoperative complete pain relief was reported in 16
patients (24%), and pain levels decreased in 38 patients (58%). Preoperative 39 patients
were ambulant and 31 patients were nonambulant. Postoperative 52 patients were ambulant
and 18 patients were nonambulant. Postoperative complications were experienced in
10 (14.2%) patients, and the patient survival rate was 71% (50 patients) at 3 months,
49% (34 patients) at 1 year. The postoperative 30-day mortality rate was 4.2%. Conclusion: Surgical decompression for a metastatic spinal tumor can improve the quality of life
in a substantially high percentage of patients with acceptable complications rate.
Key-words:
Quality of life - spinal metastases - surgical decompression
