title: [Surgical complications after metastatic infiltration of the spine].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated the intra- and post-surgical complications on tumor affected spines. Complications were analyzed according to selected patient groups so that risk factors could be determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1999 and December 2004, 401 patients underwent surgery because of spinal metastases in the Department of Traumatology, General Hospital St. Georg in Hamburg. Data were obtained from the hospital's documentary system. The results of this study were compared to other published studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of patients was 63 years (24-88) and there were 172 (42.9%) females and 229 (57.1%) males. A total of 118 (29.4%) patients suffered from 235 complications and 22 (5.5%) died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient's age >70 years, patients with a preoperative neurological deficit, and patients with heavily bleeding metastases are at high risk for complications. The dorsoventral/dorsolateral approach had the highest complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Deutschland. chessler@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hessler
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raimund
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Regelsberger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekkernkamp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eggers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery