A meningioma is a benign tumor of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord. The neoplasm grows slowly but causes severe symptoms after reaching a considerable size. The main method of diagnostics for the disease abroad is an MRI scan, and the main method of treatment is surgery. If a spinal cord tumor has been completely removed, it is unlikely to recur in the future. You can undergo your meningioma treatment abroad by choosing a medical care program through the Booking Health service.
Content
- How passes surgery for spinal cord meningiomas?
- Results of operations for spinal cord meningiomas
- Radiation therapy for spinal cord meningiomas
- Where to undergo your treatment of spinal cord meningiomas?
How passes surgery for spinal cord meningiomas?
Surgery is the main treatment for meningiomas of the spinal cord. When performing the surgical intervention, doctors aim to remove the tumor completely to minimize the risk of recurrence.
The surgical intervention is performed through an open approach. Doctors perform a laminectomy, during which they remove the vertebral arches. Depending on the size of the tumor, a laminectomy at one or more levels may be required. Doctors then remove the tumor, performing a complete resection if possible.
Some hospitals perform a minimally invasive version of the operation to remove a spinal cord meningioma. A hemilaminectomy, in which only one vertebral arch is removed, is used as a surgical approach. In this case, a significant part of the bone tissue can be preserved. This means that a patient will have better spinal stability. The volume of the dissected muscle tissue decreases. The patient has less blood loss, experiences less postoperative discomfort, and recovers faster after surgery. At the same time, surgery results do not worsen if a minimally invasive spinal cord procedure is performed at an experienced medical center.
Foreign specialists use additional technologies to increase the chance of complete meningioma removal and reduce the risk of complications. These technologies include the following:
- intraoperative ultrasound guidance;
- intraoperative neuromonitoring;
- surgical microscopes.
Results of operations for spinal cord meningiomas
The results can be assessed with an MRI scan. In no fewer than 82% of cases, doctors manage to remove the meningioma completely. At experienced medical centers, the rate of complete resection reaches 98%. This is important for the successful treatment of the disease, since incompletely removed spinal cord tumors often recur several years or decades after surgery.
After complete resection, the risk of recurrence within 5 years is 7%, and within 15 years, this indicator reaches 32%. Most patients are thus successfully cured of meningiomas. They will never need further treatment.
After partial resection, the recurrence rate is 37% within 5 years and 91% with 15 years of follow-up. Most patients who cannot have complete tumor removal surgery will require a repeated operation or radiation therapy in the future.
It is best to undergo your treatment at a reputable hospital to avoid recurrence, as doctors at such facilities are highly likely to remove the spinal cord tumor completely the first time.
The second goal of the operation is functional improvement (elimination or reduction of neurological symptoms), which is achieved in 80% of cases. Another 15% of patients have their neurological status stabilized, and only 5% of people have an even worse condition. Modern technologies used during spinal cord surgery help to improve functional outcomes and reduce the risk of complications. Patients should undergo rehabilitation after surgery to restore their mobility and sensitivity as much as possible, develop a walking stereotype, restore work capacity, and regain control over the bladder and intestines.
Radiation therapy for spinal cord meningiomas
Radiation therapy is not a commonly used treatment option. Irradiation helps doctors stabilize the size of the tumor or shrink it, but complete neoplasm destruction usually does not occur. In addition, the tumor does not shrink instantly but gradually over several months, which makes this treatment option unsuitable for patients with symptomatic spinal cord tumors.
The main areas of application of radiation therapy are the following:
- tumors causing minimal symptoms or asymptomatic neoplasms;
- meningioma recurrence or its continued growth after surgical removal (based on an MRI) in the absence of severe symptoms;
- treatment of patients with contraindications to surgery.
The treatment of spinal cord meningiomas abroad involves the use of state-of-the-art linear accelerators. The tumor is irradiated in one or more sessions. Some hospitals offer the CyberKnife system, which ensures very accurate delivery of the required doses of radiation to the target. For a patient to be immobile at the time of tumor irradiation in the cervical region, standard head restraints and an individual thermoplastic mask are used. When conducting radiation therapy for tumors in other areas of the spinal cord, a vacuum mattress is used. Treatment planning is done using CT or MRI scans. As a result, the procedure can be performed safely with minimal radiation exposure to the spinal cord tissue surrounding the tumor.
Where to undergo your treatment of spinal cord meningiomas?
You can undergo your meningioma treatment abroad, at one of the world's best hospitals. You are welcome to visit the Booking Health website to find out the prices for treatment. You can not only get information about the real cost of medical services but also compare prices at different hospitals.
There are a few reasons for you to undergo your treatment abroad. These are the following:
- high-precision diagnostics will help plan your treatment perfectly;
- operations abroad are less traumatic, and a hemilaminectomy is often used instead of a laminectomy;
- a shorter recovery period;
- a lower risk of complications;
- the stability of the spine is maintained;
- high probability of complete removal of the spinal cord meningioma;
- a low risk of tumor recurrence;
- good functional results (restoration of spinal cord functions);
- full rehabilitation after surgery;
- advanced types of radiation therapy that allow doctors to irradiate the tumor in a minimum number of sessions but with a low risk of post-radiation complications.
You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to find out the cost of diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation and choose a medical care program at the best price. Our specialists will help organize your trip abroad. When you choose a medical care program through the Booking Health service, the cost of medical services will be lower for you than when you contact the hospital directly, due to the absence of taxes for foreign patients.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
National Spine Health Foundation
Verywell Health
MedlinePlus
