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AimsTo evaluate the perioperative complications associated with total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) in patients with spinal tumours, based on the extent and level of tumour resection.MethodsIn total, 307 patients who underwent TES in a single centre were reviewed retrospectively. There were 164 male and 143 female patients with a mean age at the time of surgery of 52.9 years (SD 13.3). A total of 225 patients were operated on for spinal metastases, 34 for a malignant primary tumour, 41 for an aggressive benign tumour, and seven with a primary of unknown origin. The main lesion was located in the thoracic spine in 213, and in the lumbar spine in 94 patients. There were 97 patients who underwent TES for more than two consecutive vertebrae.ResultsMajor and minor perioperative complications were observed in 122 (39.7%) and 84 (27.4%) patients respectively. The breakdown of complications was as follows: bleeding more than 2,000 ml in 60 (19.5%) patients, hardware failure in 82 (26.7%), neurological in 46 (15.0%), surgical site infection in 23 (7.5%), wound dehiscence in 16 (5.2%), cerebrospinal fluid leakage in 45 (14.7%), respiratory in 52 (16.9%), cardiovascular in 11 (3.6%), digestive in 19 (6.2%)/ The mortality within two months of surgery was four (1.3%). The total number of complications per operation were 1.01 (SD 1.0) in the single vertebral resection group and 1.56 (SD 1.2) in the group with more than two vertebral resections. Cardiovascular and respiratory complications, along with hardware failure were statistically higher in the group who had more than two vertebrae resected. Also, in this group the amount of bleeding in patients with a lumbar lesion or respiratory complication in patients with a thoracic lesion, were statistically higher. Multivariate analysis showed that using a combined anterior and posterior approach, when more than two vertebral resections were significant independent factors.ConclusionThe characteristics of perioperative complications after TES were different depending on the extent and level of the tumour resection. In addition to preoperative clinical and pathological factors, it is therefore important to consider these factors in patients who undergo en bloc resection for spinal tumours.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2021;103-B(5):976–983.

Tumor excision surgeries of the spine present a distinct challenge regarding the maintenance of spinal cord blood supply because they often require preoperative embolization of segmental arteries, ligation of the corresponding nerve roots, and circumferential exposure of the dural sac. The authors present a case of delayed-onset spinal cord infarction after repeated tumor excision surgeries of the thoracic spine. A 49-year-old man had undergone a left nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma, 2 pulmonary metastasectomies, and excision of a left sixth rib metastasis before referral to the authors' institution. He had a recurrence of the bone metastasis involving the left fourth and fifth ribs and T5 vertebra. He underwent 3 tumor excision surgeries, including spondylectomy of T5 and T7, for the repeated tumor recurrences involving the thoracic spine. These surgeries required preoperative embolization of 9 segmental arteries at 6 consecutive levels and ligation of 6 nerve roots at 3 consecutive levels. Thirty hours after the third surgery, the neurologic deficit worsened. The postoperative paraplegia was diagnosed as delayed-onset spinal cord infarction via magnetic resonance imaging. This is the first case report describing delayed-onset paraplegia due to spinal cord ischemia caused by embolization of segmental arteries and ligation of nerve roots in multi-spinal levels for spine tumor surgeries. In spine tumor surgery, embolization of bilateral segmental arteries at 4 or more consecutive levels and/or ligation of bilateral nerve roots pose a risk for ischemic spinal cord disease. [Tumor excision surgeries of the spine present a distinct challenge regarding the maintenance of spinal cord blood supply because they often require preoperative embolization of segmental arteries, ligation of the corresponding nerve roots, and circumferential exposure of the dural sac. The authors present a case of delayed-onset spinal cord infarction after repeated tumor excision surgeries of the thoracic spine. A 49-year-old man had undergone a left nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma, 2 pulmonary metastasectomies, and excision of a left sixth rib metastasis before referral to the authors' institution. He had a recurrence of the bone metastasis involving the left fourth and fifth ribs and T5 vertebra. He underwent 3 tumor excision surgeries, including spondylectomy of T5 and T7, for the repeated tumor recurrences involving the thoracic spine. These surgeries required preoperative embolization of 9 segmental arteries at 6 consecutive levels and ligation of 6 nerve roots at 3 consecutive levels. Thirty hours after the third surgery, the neurologic deficit worsened. The postoperative paraplegia was diagnosed as delayed-onset spinal cord infarction via magnetic resonance imaging. This is the first case report describing delayed-onset paraplegia due to spinal cord ischemia caused by embolization of segmental arteries and ligation of nerve roots in multi-spinal levels for spine tumor surgeries. In spine tumor surgery, embolization of bilateral segmental arteries at 4 or more consecutive levels and/or ligation of bilateral nerve roots pose a risk for ischemic spinal cord disease. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(1):e131–e134.]

Among the elderly, even minor injuries can cause cervical spine fractures. With the increasing number of nonagenarians, the opportunities for treatment of cervical spine injuries in nonagenarians are getting to be more common. Conservative therapy is often chosen in nonagenarians with cervical spine injuries because of high risk associated with surgical treatment; however, we present herein the cases of three patients in nonagenarians who underwent surgical treatment for cervical spine injury. After a fall, three cases of nonagenarians who lived alone and independent were diagnosed with a Jefferson fracture and minor dislocated type II odontoid fracture, a C4 fracture with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, and a fracture-dislocation of C2, respectively. Their past medical history included several diseases, but we decided that spine surgery under general anesthesia was acceptable based on their pre-injury condition. We performed posterior fixation for all cases. As a result, while two patients developed postoperative minor complications, all cases showed favorable postoperative courses. They acquired independent or partially assisted walking and were transferred to the hospital for rehabilitation. If fundamental activity of daily living and general condition permit, posterior fixation seems to be a good choice even in nonagenarians.