Spinal Meningioma — Microsurgical Resection: treatment in the Best Hospitals in the World
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Department of Spinal Surgery
The Department of Spinal Surgery annually treats more than 720 patients with spinal cord meningioma. The specialists remove the tumor endoscopically with the best possible preservation of healthy nerve tissue. The surgery involves the use of a three-dimensional O-Arm x-ray system that provides additional protection for the spinal cord. The department is headed by Dr. med. A Bitter, who specializes in microsurgical spinal interventions.
Department of Spinal Surgery
The Department of Spinal Surgery at the Vivantes Auguste-Victoria Hospital all diseases of the spine - both conservatively and operatively. Patients with herniated intervertebral discs, displacement of vertebrae, stenosis of the spinal canal or back pain are treated here. In addition, specialists of the department have a unique experience in the field of complex reconstructive and revision surgeries, which are conducted to continue or correct the previous surgical treatment.
Department of Spinal Surgery
The Department of Spinal Surgery offers the full range of effective treatment methods in the area of its specialization. A highly qualified team of doctors is at the service of the department's patients, who have in their arsenal advanced conservative and surgical treatment methods for pathological changes in the spine. Spinal surgical procedures are performed in modern operating rooms, the technical equipment of which allows spinal surgeons to perfectly perform both major open surgery and sparing interventions: minimally invasive, endoscopic, and microsurgical. Surgical treatment is complemented by a carefully planned course of physiotherapy. This includes procedures such as therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, massage, osteopathic treatment, etc. The department's team of doctors consists of 10 highly qualified specialists who, together with experienced nursing staff, admit more than 1,300 inpatients annually. The medical facility is certified by the German Society for Spine Surgery (DWG) as a level II specialized center. The department's medical team makes every effort to provide each patient with optimal treatment in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere.
A spinal meningioma is a benign tumor that grows from the meninges. In 90% of cases, this is a grade 1 neoplasm, which progresses very slowly and often occupies the entire spinal canal before it begins to cause any neurological symptoms. The main treatment for meningiomas is their surgical removal. You can undergo this operation abroad. You are welcome to visit the Booking Health website to find out the cost of treatment and choose a program at the best price.
Content
- What is a spinal meningioma?
- How is surgery for spinal meningiomas performed?
- Results of surgery for spinal meningiomas
- Functional outcomes of surgery for spinal meningiomas
- Why to undergo your spinal meningioma treatment abroad?
What is a spinal meningioma?
Spinal tumors are classified as intradural and extradural (inside or outside the dura mater). In turn, intradural ones can be further classified as intramedullary (originating from the gray matter of the spinal cord) and extramedullary (originating from its meninges). Meningiomas are among the most common extramedullary tumors, accounting for up to a third of all cases. These are slow-growing benign neoplasms. These tumors occur predominantly in patients over the age of 40. Women are affected by the disease four times more often than men.
About 70% of meningiomas are located in the thoracic spinal cord. 20% of tumors develop in the cervical spinal cord, and only 10% of neoplasms form in the lumbar spinal cord. Women have more than 80% of these tumors affecting their thoracic spine.
Possible symptoms of the disease include the following:
- movement disorders, namely severe muscle weakness in the affected area of the spinal nerve roots, up to paralysis;
- loss of sensitivity in the areas corresponding to the level of the lesion;
- gait disturbances;
- dysfunction of the pelvic organs (impaired control of urination and defecation).
The main method of diagnosing the disease is an MRI scan. This technique allows doctors to determine the presence of a tumor, suggest its histological type with high accuracy, assess the boundaries and damage to nerve structures, and plan the operation.
How is surgery for spinal meningiomas performed?
Surgical removal of meningiomas is considered the main method for the treatment of this disease. The operation has the following two goals:
- spinal cord decompression so that neurological disorders regress as much as possible, or at least do not progress;
- complete removal of spinal meningiomas to minimize the risk of their recurrence.
In standard cases, operations for meningioma treatment are performed through an open approach. Doctors remove the posterior vertebral arches (perform a laminectomy) to approach the spinal cord.
When performing surgery, foreign specialists use intraoperative ultrasound to visualize the spinal cord and powerful operating microscopes. Intraoperative neuromonitoring is often used as well. As a result, doctors are more likely to remove the neoplasm completely and achieve a more complete regression of symptoms without aggravating the existing neurological deficit.
Some foreign hospitals have begun to perform new minimally invasive operations to remove spinal meningiomas. A laminectomy is usually performed to approach the spinal cord. This procedure implies the removal of the vertebral arches. But in recent years, a hemilaminectomy has been used instead. Doctors remove only one vertebral arch, not both. With this approach, a sufficient surgical corridor is created for the safe removal of the tumor, wherein:
- back muscles, facet complex, and posterior tendon bundles are preserved;
- no resection of a large amount of bone tissue is required, as a result of which the stability of the spine is maintained and no stabilizing systems are required;
- the trauma rate of the operation is reduced;
- patients recover faster;
- low blood losses;
- patients have mild postoperative discomfort.
A minimally invasive technique allows for similar results in terms of the rate of complete removal of meningiomas and the functional results of the operation (reduction of neurological symptoms).
Results of surgery for spinal meningiomas
Doctors perform an MRI scan following the operation. This test can be used to detect a residual tumor if the meningioma was not completely removed. On average, total resection can be performed around the world in 82% of cases, and at the best specialized hospitals, the frequency of complete removal reaches 98%.
The following are the risks of tumor recurrence after total resection:
- 7% within 5 years;
- 20% within 10 years;
- 32% within 15 years.
The following are the risks of meningioma recurrence after subtotal (incomplete) removal:
- 37% within 5 years;
- 55% within 10 years;
- 91% within 15 years.
As these statistics show, an incomplete tumor removal is actually a guarantee of its repeated development in the future. It is therefore better to select a reputable hospital for the surgical treatment of the disease where, with the maximum probability, the meningioma will be completely removed so that in the future you do not have to undergo a second operation.
Functional outcomes of surgery for spinal meningiomas
In 80% of cases, the neurological status improves, and in 15% of cases, the neurological status stabilizes, while in 5% of cases, the neurological status deteriorates.
The following are the risk factors for poor functional outcomes:
- tumor calcification;
- anterior fusion of the dura mater;
- infiltrative meningioma growth (with penetration into the spinal cord);
- fusion of the tumor with the spinal cord;
- significant neurological deficit at the start of treatment;
- long course of the disease before diagnosis;
- elderly age.
Most of those patients who had complete tumor removal surgery do not have any symptoms, or they regress partially. The results depend on the severity and duration of the symptoms, as well as on the quality of the operation performed. When removing a tumor, foreign specialists use intraoperative neuromonitoring, thanks to which they do not damage any functionally important tissues. If you choose to receive your treatment at a good hospital, your chances of improving your neurological condition will be greater.
In addition, high-quality neurorehabilitation is available abroad. It starts immediately after the operation and lasts for several weeks or months. Modern recovery techniques make it possible to maximize the patient's rehabilitation potential, restore mobility and sensitivity, and restore the function of the intestines and bladder, which can be impaired when the meningioma is localized in the lumbar region.
Why to undergo your spinal meningioma treatment abroad?
You can get your meningioma treatment abroad, at one of the hospitals that specialize in spinal surgery, use state-of-the-art equipment, have experienced doctors on staff, and achieve excellent results. On the Booking Health website, you can see the cost of treatment and compare prices at different hospitals to select the best medical care program.
Treatment abroad has the following benefits:
- high-quality preoperative diagnostics using advanced equipment aid in optimal treatment planning;
- doctors at some specialized hospitals remove meningiomas using a minimally invasive approach with a low risk of complications that maintains spinal stability and allows for rapid postoperative recovery;
- neuromonitoring is used to control operations in order to improve functional outcomes;
- ultrasound guidance and operating microscopes are used to increase the likelihood of complete tumor removal and reduce the risk of complications;
- the likelihood of complete meningioma resection exceeds 90%;
- a low risk of tumor recurrence after treatment because it is highly likely that you will not need a second operation even in the distant future if you choose to undergo your treatment abroad;
- more than 95% of patients improve or stabilize their neurological status after treatment;
- full rehabilitation after surgery will help you recover faster and return to your usual life and work.
The Booking Health website presents the best hospitals in the field of spinal surgery. The website also specifies the cost of treatment at each medical center. When you make your treatment appointment through Booking Health, prices will be lower than when you contact the hospital directly. The cost of treatment has been reduced due to the absence of taxes for foreign patients. Please leave your request on our website to choose a medical care program and get assistance in organizing your treatment abroad. We will contact the hospital's administration, make an appointment on your preferred dates, and help you collect the necessary documents. We will also book hotel and airline tickets, meet you at the airport, and take you to the hospital by car.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. 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!
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