Secondaries to the spine with cord compression.
This is a study of 64 cases treated from January 1971 to February 1982. Although myelography was preferred, it was not essential except in three types of instances. Posterior decompression was performed in 60 cases and anterior decompression in 4 cases. About 70% died within 6 months after operation. Only 28% gave satisfactory results. A satisfactory result was seen mainly with nasopharyngeal carcinoma mild neurologic deficit, intact sphincter control, long duration of neurologic deficit, gradual onset of compression and lumbar level of involvement. In contrast, an unsatisfactory result occurred with lung, breast and liver cancers, severe neurologic deficit, loss of sphincter control, short duration of neurologic deficit, sudden onset of compression and thoracic level of involvement.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery