Turkish Neurosurgery 2022 , Vol 32 , Num 4
Management of Spinal Lymphomas: Spinal Instability Assessment Using the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score and a Proposed Treatment Algorithm
Ali Fatih RAMAZANOGLU1,Mustafa Umut ETLI1,Caner SARIKAYA1,Mehmet Resid ONEN2,Ali Hakan KAYA3,Sait NADERI1
1Health Sciences University, Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
2VM Medical Park Maltepe Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
3Health Sciences University, Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Department of Hematology, Istanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.35770-21.2 AIM: To propose a treatment algorithm, and to assess spinal instability in patients diagnosed with spinal lymphoma.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Demographics, symptoms, tumor level and location, and presence of spinal instability were reviewed in 22 patients with spinal lymphomas. Each patient's neurological state was reviewed using the American Spinal Injury Association and modified McCormick scale scores, and spinal instability was assessed using the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS).

RESULTS: Initially, percutaneous biopsy was performed in 16 patients, and open biopsy was performed in 6 patients. Eight of the patients who underwent percutaneous biopsy were followed up with hematological examination alone, as they had no additional complaints. The SINS was used to evaluate the presence of spinal instability, and the type of surgery to be performed was decided accordingly. In the second surgery, decompression and stabilization were performed in 5 of the remaining 8 patients, and only decompression was performed in 3 of them. Neurological improvement was observed in 6 of 7 patients with acute neurological deficit.

CONCLUSION: Percutaneous biopsy for tissue diagnosis is the first step in the management of spinal lymphomas. Patients without neurological deficit should be referred for hematological examination. Those with acute neurological deficit require emergency surgery, and those with chronic symptoms must undergo operation for decompression and/or stabilization. This study confirmed the safety of the SINS in the evaluation of spinal instability in spinal lymphoma cases. Keywords : Management, SINS, Spinal instability, Spinal lymphoma

Corresponding author : Mustafa Umut ETLI, umutetli@gmail.com