Palliative Surgery in Treating Painful Metastases of the Upper Cervical Spine: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Decompression Surgery Options for Metastatic Cervical Spine Lesions

Background: Metastatic spinal lesions occur in 70% of patients with incurable cancer, and the most common site for bone metastases is the spine. Over the last decade, medical science has made significant progress in treating tumor damage to the spine. The study examined the efficacy of decompression surgery for patients with metastatic cervical spine lesions contributing to spinal cord compression. Methods: The study enrolled 38 patients (27 females and 11 males, average age of 61.35±8.49 years) with metastatic cervical spine lesions resulting in cord compression relieved with surgery. Patients experienced improvement in pain and motor within one month of surgery addressing cervical metastatic disease. Results: Complete or partial regression of pain syndrome 10 days after surgery was observed in 26 (68.4%) patients, one month later - in 33 (86.8%) patients, one year later - in 35 (92.1%) patients. Regression of neurological symptoms on the 10th day after surgery was observed in 8 (21.1%) patients, one month later - in 21 (55.3%) patients, one year later - in 34 (89.5%) patients. Two patients died between 3 and 12 months after surgery, having a worsening of their neurological status and pain syndrome. Conclusions: Decompression surgeries for metastatic lesions of the cervical spine with spinal cord compression resulted in effective reduction of pain and neurological dysfunction.

Palliative Free Flap Surgery for Plantar Sarcoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report a case of palliative surgery in a 73-year-old patient with metastatic plantar sarcoma. The patient underwent resection and irradiation of an undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma in the right plantar region. The wound was not closed and systemic metastases were observed. The chief complaint of the patient on his first visit to our department was difficulty walking due to pain in the right plantar region. Since we were unsuccessful in relieving the pain with conservative treatment, we decided to perform a palliative free tissue transfer to the right plantar. The surgery was successful, the skin ulcer healed, and the pain was relieved after the surgery. When performing palliative surgery, more detailed preoperative management and planning are necessary to achieve a successful outcome. The selection of the flaps according to the local lesion and metastatic lesions and changes in the local hemodynamics should be considered when planning.

Comparison of 30-Day Outcomes in Patients with Cervical Spine Metastasis Undergoing Corpectomy Versus Posterior Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion: A 2006-2016 ACS-NSQIP Database Study

BACKGROUND

Patients with metastatic disease to the cervical spine have historically had poor outcomes, with an average survival of 15 months. Every effort should be made to avoid complications of surgical intervention for stabilization and decompression.

METHODS

We identified patients who had undergone anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) or posterior cervical laminectomy and fusion (PCLF) for metastatic disease of the cervical spine using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2006 to 2016. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were subsequently propensity matched 1:1. We compared the overall complications, intensive care unit level complications, mortality, and return to the operating room between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

After identifying the patients who met the inclusion criteria and propensity matching, a cohort of 240 patients was included, with 120 (50%) in the ACCF group and 120 (50%) in the PCLF group. The patients in the ACCF group were more likely to have experienced any complication (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-4.1; P = 0.026) but not severe complications or a return to the operating room (P = 0.406 and P = 0.450, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In the present study, we found that anterior surgical approaches (ACCF) for metastatic cervical spine disease resulted in a significantly greater rate of overall complications (2.1 times more) compared with PCLF in the first 30 days. Although more studies are required to further elucidate this relationship, the general belief that the anterior approach is better tolerated by patients might not apply to patients with metastatic tumors.

Thermal-ablation of vertebral metastases prevents adverse events in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate a strategy that used thermal-ablation of vertebral metastases (VM) to prevent vertebral related events (VRE) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

METHODS

This single center study retrospectively reviewed records and post-operative imaging of all DTC patients treated with thermal-ablation for asymptomatic VMs. Rate of local tumor control at first post-operative imaging, 12 and 24 months after thermal-ablation and rate of VREs at 12 and 24 months among the treated VMs were reported. New VMs that occurred during the follow-up and were not considered for additional thermal-ablation were moniroted and VREs were reported.

RESULTS

Thermal-ablation was used to achieve local control of 41 VMs in 28 patients. Median post-treatment follow-up was 22 months [range: 12-80] and the mean delay for first post-operative imaging was 2 months [range: 0.6-7.5]. Local control at first post-operative imaging, 12 and 24 months was achieved in 87.8%, 82.9% and 75.6%, respectively. Among the treated VMs the rates of VRE was 7.3% at 2 years, significantly lower if local control was achieved at first post-operative imaging than if it was not (0% vs 30%, p = 0.011, OR = 0.184 [95%CI = 0.094-0.360]). After thermal-ablation procedures, 19 news VMs occurred in 11 patients (39.2%) with a median interval of 8 months [range 1-26] and remained untreated. Among these untreated VMs, the rate of VREs at 2 years was significantly higher compared to the treated VMs: (36.8% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.008, OR = 0.135, [95%CI = 0.030-0.607]).

CONCLUSION

local tumor control of VMs using thermal-ablation decreases the risk of VREs in DTC patients.

The influence of fractionated radiotherapy on the stability of spinal bone metastases: a retrospective analysis from 1047 cases

BACKGROUND

The effect of radiotherapy, in particular the application of different multi-fraction schedules in the management of unstable spinal bone metastases (SBM), is incompletely understood. This study aims to compare the radiological response regarding various dose and fractionation schedules of radiotherapy in the palliative treatment of SBM.

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed 1047 patients with osteolytic SBM, treated with palliative radiotherapy at our department between 2000 and 2015. Lung cancer (40.2%), breast (16.7%) and renal cancer (15.2%) were the most common solid tumors in this study. Different common multi-fraction regimen (5x4Gy, 10x3Gy, 14 × 2.5Gy and 20x2Gy) were compared with regard to radiological response and recalcification at 3 and 6 months after radiotherapy. The Taneichi score was used for classification of osteolytic SBM.

RESULTS

Median follow up was 6.3 months. The median overall survival (OS) in the short-course radiotherapy (SCR) group using less than 10 treatment fractions was 5.5 months vs. 9.5 months in the long-course radiotherapy (LCR) group using in excess of 10 fractions (log rank p < .0001). Overall survival (OS) in the SCR group after 3 and 6 months was 66.8 and 49.1%, respectively vs 80.9 and 61.5%, respectively in the LCR group. 17.6% (n = 54/306) and 31.1% (n = 89/286) of unstable SBM were classified as stable in the SCR group at 3 and 6 months post radiotherapy, respectively (p < .001 for both). In the LCR group, 24.1% (n = 28/116) and 34.2% (n = 38/111) of unstable SBM were stabilized after 3 and 6 months, respectively (p < .001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows no significant difference in stabilization achieving recalcification rates between multi-fraction schedules (SCR vs. LCR) in the palliative management of unstable SBM. Both groups with multi-fraction regimen demonstrate a stabilizing effect following 3 and 6 months after radiotherapy.

Posterior decompression and occipitocervical fixation followed by intraoperative vertebroplasty for metastatic involvement of the axis

Background

Metastases to the upper cervical spine were rarely reported in the literature. However, metastases to this area may cause spinal instability and cord compression, which in turn can result in respiratory failure and neurological dysfunction. The present study investigated the efficacy and safety of posterior decompression and occipitocervical fixation followed by intraoperative vertebroplasty for this disease.

Methods

This was a retrospective study that included 10 patients with metastatic involvement of the axis from March 2002 to May 2014. All cases presented with occipitocervical pain: 5 patients with compressive myelopathy and 6 patients with radiculopathy. Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the improvement of neurological function and pain intensity, respectively.

Results

All patients underwent posterior decompression and occipitocervical fixation followed by intraoperative vertebroplasty. The VAS scores and JOA scores both improved postoperatively, from 8.2 ± 0.4 to 2.3 ± 0.2 and from 10.1 ± 2.2 to 14.2 ± 2.9, respectively. Additionally, the improvement rate of JOA was 52.4 ± 1.8%. The mean overall survival was 12.8 months. The median survival time was 7 months. The 6-month and 12-month survival rates were 70% and 40%, respectively. The mean duration of operation was 182 min and blood loss was 450 mL. The mean volume of bone cement injected was 4.0 mL. The cement extravasation was observed in only 1 patient without clinical symptoms. One patient developed tumour recurrence and died 1 month later.

Conclusions

Posterior decompression and occipitocervical fixation followed by intraoperative vertebroplasty was a safe and valuable palliative method with relatively less invasion to treat metastatic involvement of the axis.