• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.523-527
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• 2011

A 67-year-old woman presented for evaluation of severe coccygeal pain. The computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging showed an asymmetric midline sacral tumor invading the right lower portion of S2. To preserve both S2 nerve roots and to obtain negative surgical margins, a modified mid-sacrectomy with an aid of a computed navigation system was performed. The sacral tumor was excised en bloc with negative tumor margins. Both S2 nerve roots were preserved and additional reconstruction was not necessary because of minimal resection of the sacroiliac joint. We report a case of a sacral chordoma which was excised en bloc with adequate surgical margins by a computer-assisted modified mid-sacrectomy. The computed navigation system may be a useful tool for tumor targeting and safe osteotomies in sacral tumor surgery via the posterior only approach.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.138-145
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• 2009

Purpose: Giant cell tumor of the spine is very rare, and the treatment is very difficult. However, surgical techniques and diagnostic modalities are developed, and postoperative functional results are improved. To evaluate the efficacy of total spondylectomy for giant cell tumor of the spine, the clinical results of the surgical treatments for the giant cell tumor of the spine with intralesional curettage or total spondylectomy were evaluated. Materials and Methods: From April 1987 to March 2006, 10 patients who were underwent surgical treatments using total spondylectomy or intralesional curettage were studied. There were 3 men and 7 women. The mean age of the patients was 32 years (range, 25~44 years). The mean duration of follow-up was 8 years (range, 3~15 years). Locations of the tumor were 2 cervical spines, 4 thoracic spines, 2 lumbar spines and 2 sacrum. Initial main symptom of 10 patients was pain, and 7 patients had neurologic impairments too. Four patients were treated with total spodylectomy using anterior and posterior combined approach, 1 patient was treated with total sacrectomy using posterior approach only, and 5 patients were treated with intralesional curettage using anterior approach. Results: Nine patients improved pain and neurologic impairments. Local recurrences developed in 4(40%) patients (2 cervical spines, 1 thoracic spine, 1 sacrum). While a local recurrence developed from 5 total spondylectomy, 3 local recurrences developed from 5 intralesional curettage. Conclusion: Local recurrence rate after surgical treatment with intralesional curettage for the giant cell tumor of the spine was very high. Total spondylectomy using anterior and posterior approach is advisable to prevent the local recurrence after surgical treatment.