ObjectiveTo investigate the surgical method for primary malignant osseous tumors in the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) and its effectiveness.MethodsThe clinical data of 7 patients with primary malignant osseous spinal tumors in CVJ, which collected between September 2010 and April 2019, were retrospectively analyzed. There were 5 males and 2 females, aged 23 to 75 years (median, 56 years). All patients were diagnosed as chordoma in 4 cases, plasmacytoma in 2 cases, and fibrosarcoma in 1 case. The disease duration ranged from 0.7 to 36.0 months, with an average of 12.2 months. Lesion location: 1 case of C0, 1, 3 cases of C2, 1 case of C1, 2, 1 case of C2, 3, and 1 case of C0-2. Preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 6.7±2.1, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was 15.6±2.4. According to American Society of Spinal Cord Injury (ASIA) grading system, there was 1 case of grade C, 1 case of grade D, and 5 cases of grade E. According to Enneking stage of spinal malignant tumor, there was 1 case of stage ⅠB, 2 cases of stage ⅡB, and 4 cases of stage Ⅲ. According to Weinstein-Boriani-Biagini (WBB) stage, there was 1 case of 5-8/A-D, 1 case of 4-9/A-D, 1 case of 6-7/B-D, 1 case of 6-7/A-D, 2 cases of 1-12/A-D, and 1 case of 3-10/A-D. All these patients were treated with tumor extended resection, bone graft fusion, and internal fixation via posterior cervical approach, as well as tumor (stage Ⅰ or stage Ⅱ) boundary resection via transoral or submandibular approach. Meanwhile, anterior reconstructive fusion was procedured with bone grafting Cage needed to place the internal fixation.ResultsThe operation time was 307-695 minutes (mean, 489.57 minutes), and the intraoperative blood loss was 400-2 000 mL (mean, 1 107.14 mL). There was no intraoperative injury in vertebral artery and spinal cord or any related postoperative complications, including incision infection, intracranial infection, and pulmonary infection. All the patients were followed up 3-57 months (mean, 21 months). Postoperative X-ray film and CT showed that the internal fixation screw was firm and in a satisfactory position, and the bone graft was fused at 3-6 months after operation. Symptoms such as neck pain, limb numbness, and fatigue relieved to different degrees after operation. At 3 months after operation, the VAS score improved to 1.7±0.8 (t=7.638, P=0.000); while the JOA score improved to 16.1±1.5, but no significant difference was found when compared with preoperative score (t=1.549, P=0.172). According to ASIA grading system, 1 patient with grade C had upgraded to grade D after operation, while the remaining patients had no change. There were 4 cases of recurrence after operation, in which those patients were with high malignancy of tumors before the first surgery. Their tumors also affected a wide range of slope or surrounding soft tissues and could not be completely removed. Among the 4 cases, 1 patient underwent transoral tumor removal operation again, while the other 3 cases gave up further treatment. There was no recurrence among the remaining 3 cases.ConclusionPrimary malignant osseous tumors in the CVJ can be completely exercised via means of trabsoral or submandibular approach. Meanwhile the anterior reconstruction can be achieved by placing special Cage specimen. These two methods together with postoperative adjuvant treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy can improve the survival time of patients and reduce tumor recurrence.
ObjectiveTo investigate the method of treating tuberculosis in the craniovertebral junction and its effectiveness.MethodsThe clinical data of 18 patients with tuberculosis in the craniovertebral junction between July 2010 and January 2019 was analyzed retrospectively. There were 14 males and 4 females, aged 21 months to 75 years (median, 35 years). The disease duration ranged from 2 weeks to 60 months (median, 4 months), and the affected segment was C0-C3. Preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 6.7±1.5 and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was 16.1±1.8. The American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) grading system was applied to classify their neurological functions, according to which there were 6 cases of grade D and 12 cases of grade E. Among 18 patients, 4 patients underwent conservative treatment, 1 patient removed tuberculosis via transoral approach, 1 patient removed tuberculosis via posterior cervical approach, and 12 patients removed tuberculosis via transoral approach immediately after posterior cervical (atlantoaxial or occipitalcervical) fusion and internal fixation. The VAS score, ASIA grading, and JOA score were applied to evaluate effectiveness. X-ray film, CT, and MRI were taken after treatment to evaluate the tubercular recurrence, cervical stability, and bone healing.ResultsAll the patients were followed up 3 to 42 months (median, 12 months). At 3 months after treatment, the VAS score was 1.7±1.0, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative score (t=15.000, P=0.000); and the JOA score was 16.7±1.0, showing no significant difference when compared with preoperative score (t=1.317, P=0.205). According to ASIA grading, 6 patients with grade D before treatment had upgraded to grade E after treatment, while the remaining patients with grade E had no change in grading. The imaging examinations showed the good stability of the cervical spine. All patients had complete tuberculosis resection and no recurrence, and the patients who underwent internal fixation via posterior cervical approach achieved atlantoaxial or occipitalcervical bone fusion.ConclusionOn the premise of regular chemotherapy, if there is no huge abscess causing dysphagia or dyspnea, atlantoaxial instability, and neurological symptoms, patients can undergo conservative treatment. If not, however, the transoral approach can be used to completely remove the tuberculosis lesion in the craniovertebral junction. One-stage debridement via transoral approach combined with posterior cervical fusion and internal fixation can achieve satisfactory effectiveness.