title: [Minimally invasive approach of extramedullary intradural spinal tumours. Review of 30 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the safety and effectiveness of a microsurgical unilateral approach in minimally invasive surgery of extramedullary, intradural spinal tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of 29 patients with 30 extramedullary, intradural spinal tumours approached through unilateral laminectomy -hemilaminectomy. Epidemiological data, location and histology of the lesions and radiological and clinical evolution of the patients were recorded. The Nurick scale was used in the preoperative and postoperative functional assessment conducted during the last follow-up consultation. The mean age of patients was 60 years and there was a predominance of the female gender. The mean time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 11.6 months. Sensitive and motor deficits were the most common symptoms. Meningioma was the most frequent lesion, followed by neurinoma and ependymoma. The most commonly affected level was the dorsal, followed by the lumbar and cervical.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total resection was performed in all cases except for one cervical neurinoma with extraforaminal extension. Three patients presented postoperative complications -cerebrospinal fluid fistula, asymptomatic pseudomeningocele and postoperative functional worsening- which were resolved with conservative treatment. The mean time of clinical and radiological follow-up was 33.4 months, with no tumoural recurrences being observed except for two cases of meningiomas. After the follow-up period, patients without functional disorders remained stable and all patients with functional disorders presented a clinical improvement of at least one point in the Nurick scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We consider that the microsurgical unilateral approach is a safe and effective technique for the resection of most extramedullary, intradural spinal tumours.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurocirugía, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, León, España. Electronic address: emilio.gonzalez.martinez@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emilio Luis
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: González-Martínez
authors.forename: Pedro José
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: García-Cosamalón
authors.forename: Jesús Javier
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fernández-Fernández
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ibáñez-Plágaro
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alvarez
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008579:Meningioma / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms