title: Alternatives to surgical approach for giant spinal schwannomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the diagnoses and surgical approach characteristics of giant spinal schwannomas (GSS) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the preoperative and postoperative radiological and clinical data, and the surgical aspects of 18 GSS patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, Umraniye Teaching Hospital and Research State Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey between January 2008 and December 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 15 (83.3%) female and 3 (16.6%) male patients. The age range was 16-70 years (average: 45.8). Average symptom duration was 1.5 months (range: 1-48). There was local pain in 15 cases, and radicular pain in 6 cases. The GSSs were most frequently located in the lumbosacral area (11 cases, 61.1%). An extraforaminal surgical approach was employed in 7 cases, a posterior approach was employed in 6 cases, a combined anterior transabdominal and posterior approach was employed in 2 cases, a combined posterior and extraforaminal approach was employed in 2 cases, and a retroperitoneal approach was applied in one case. The tumors were completely excised in all cases. The mean follow-up period was 38.5 months (range: 20-68).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Giant spinal schwannomas exhibit unique diagnostic and surgical factors. The selection of an appropriate approach significantly influences the success of the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Umraniye Teaching and Research State Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: mresid@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Onen
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naderi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
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