Patients With Cervical Metastasis and Neoplastic Pachymeningitis are Less Likely to Improve Neurologically After Surgery

Although many patients with cervical spine metastases are treated surgically, it is unknown whether certain subsets achieve better pain relief and improvement of neurologic function.

(1) Does tumor removal with reconstruction improve the neurologic status? (2) Is any subset of patients more likely to have neurological recovery from palliative surgery? (3) What is the rate of surgery-related complications?

We retrospectively reviewed 46 patients who had palliative surgery for metastatic solid tumor metastases of the subaxial cervical spine. Indications were neurologic deficits, life expectancy longer than 6 months, and a Karnofsky Performance Score of 50 to 70. Surgery consisted of anterior tumor removal and reconstruction with titanium mesh cages and/or tricortical iliac crest allograft plus plate fixation or of a combined procedure with adjunctive posterior decompression and stabilization with lateral mass screw fixation. Postoperatively, neurologic Frankel score grade, Karnofsky Performance Score, and complications were recorded.

Five of 18 nonambulatory patients (Frankel B/C) became ambulatory again (Frankel D). No patients were Frankel Grade E preoperatively, whereas 19 of 46 gained Frankel Grade E after surgery. One patient worsened neurologically and died 4 months after surgery. Patients with neoplastic pachymeningitis had less neurologic recovery than those without. Complications included dural tears (three), wound infection (three), and tumor relapse at the same or an adjacent level (four). Two of these four patients had instrumentation-related complications.

Surgery improved clinical and neurologic status according to Frankel score; patients with neoplastic pachymeningitis are likely to experience less neurologic recovery.

Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.