title: [Lateral extracavitary approach to spine].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This paper describes the lateral extracavitary approach to the lumbar spine using the three-quarter prone position. Owing to unsatisfied results of the posterior approaches to spine in patients with the ventral compressive lesions, many ventral approaches as well as lateral extracavitary approach have been developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A patient with tumor (chordoma) of L3 vertebral body was operated on by means of ventral compression of cauda equina; the tumor had paraspinal propagation. Lateral extracavitary approach was used with a patient in three-quarter prone position, and corpectomy with the anterior stabilisation was performed followed by posterior transpedicular stabilisation through the same approach. Complete tumor removal and excellent neurological improvement were achieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This approach provides safe ventral decompression of the spinal cord; it also enables the anterior and posterior instrumental stabilisation through the same incision and in the same position during the intervention. The three-quarter prone position allows excellent view of the dural sac.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Neurosurgery, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia. iveticd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Drazen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivetić
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Neurosurgery, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spaić
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Neurosurgery, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Antić
mesh_terms: D002817:Chordoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*