title: [Prognosis, surgical therapy and progression in cervical and upper-thoracic tumor osteolysis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study analyzes the early and mid-term results of our modular rod-screw implant system for the posterior instrumentation of the occipito-cervical, cervical and cervico-thoracic spine (neon occipito-cervical system, Ulrich, Germany) in patients with tumor osteolysis. The prognosis of the patients was evaluated using the Tokuhashi score.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cervical and upper thoracic spines of 14 patients (7 males, 7 females, mean age 61 years, range 40-77 years) with osteolysis due to plasmocytoma (n = 2), bronchial (n = 3), mamma (n = 4), thyroid (n = 2), esophageal (n = 1) and pancreatic (n = 1) carcinomas as well as melanoma (n = 1) were instrumentated between June 2001 and April 2004.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A stable fixation without loosening or failure of the fixator system was achieved in all cases. No impairment of the neurological status was observed. In our cohort different prognosis scores failed to make a reliable estimate of the expected survival at the time of surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posterior instrumentation of the cervical spine including the occipito-cervical and the cervico-thoracic regions with a modular angle-stable rod-screw implant system (neon) offers good stabilization and allows simultaneous decompression. Since tumor masses are predominantly located in the anterior portion of the spine, blood loss can be controlled well. In this patient collective appears difficult to estimate the time of survival by a scoring system.
authors.affiliation: Orthopädische Klinik mit Querschnittgelähmtenzentrum der Universität Ulm/RKU, Ulm. klaus.huch@rku.de
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ulmar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Puhl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001863:Bone Screws; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome