title: Surgical management of intradural spinal cord tumors in children and young adults: A single-center experience with 50 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intradural spinal cord tumors (IDSCTs) in children and young adults are rare diseases. This present study is aimed to demonstrate our experience with a large series of children and young adults with IDSCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 patients aged <20 years with IDSCT treated in our department between 1990 and 2010 were included in the study. Clinical, histological, and radiological findings, treatment strategies, and clinical outcome were retrospectively assessed. Depending on the relation to the spinal cord, IDSCT were dichotomized into intramedullary SCT (IMSCT) and extramedullary SCT (EMSCT). The functional outcome was evaluated with the Frankel score assessing the longest available follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 10.3 years (range 6 months-19 years). IDSCT surgery was performed in 44 patients (88%). A common first symptom in patients with EMSCT was neck and back pain (41%), whereas monoparesis of arms (43%) were often seen in patients with IMSCT. The main duration of the symptoms was longer in patients with IMSCT. The postoperative functional outcome was generally comparable to the preoperative functional condition, while better for EMSCT (P < 0.01). The functional outcome at last follow-up correlated significantly with the preoperative Frankel score (P < 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the mostly mild impact of the surgery on the functional outcome, the surgical treatment of IDSCT in children and young patients can be uniquely advocated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Neriman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jabbarli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Karsten Henning
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wrede
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sariaslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dammann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ringelstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sure
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany ; Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Nordstadt Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Erol Ibrahim
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Sandalcioglu
keywords: Adolescence; intramedullary tumor in childhood; pediatric neurosurgery; pediatric spine; spinal cord tumor; spinal instrumentation