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Endoscopic Treatment for Spinal Metastases

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Endoscopy of the Spine

Abstract

The management of metastatic spine lesions still remains controversial. The goal of surgical treatments of spinal metastases is to achieve decompression of neural elements along with reconstruction and stabilization of the spinal column. Anterior and anterolateral approaches to thoracic and lumbar vertebral metastases are associated with considerable morbidity. Minimally invasive endoscopic approaches have been developed for the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar lesions to overcome the problems associated with anterior approaches. Endoscopic procedures for the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar metastatic spine lesions are being increasingly used. Thoracoscopic procedure provides visualization and magnification of the entire ventral spine from T1 to T12 without the need for open thoracotomy. Interlaminar endoscopic approach and percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic approach are utilized for lesion in the lumbar spine. Minimally invasive endoscopic spinal procedures are reasonable alternatives to treat spinal metastatic disease due to low associated complication rates and short recovery times. The functional and oncologic results are comparable to those of conventional open procedures.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Meic H. Schmidt, MD, MBA, FAANS, FACS, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico, USA, for the permission to use Figs. 48.3, 48.4, and 48.5 as intraoperative images taken as screenshots from his video named “Thoracoscopic transdiaphagmatic approach to treat metastatic spinal cord compression.” Video link: https://youtu.be/w8fanV9bq-E.

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Correspondence to Lukas Rasulić .

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Rasulić, L., Rotim, K., Sajko, T. (2023). Endoscopic Treatment for Spinal Metastases. In: Lui, T.H. (eds) Endoscopy of the Spine. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7761-9_48

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7761-9_48

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-19-7760-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-19-7761-9

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