gms | German Medical Science

63rd Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)
Joint Meeting with the Japanese Neurosurgical Society (JNS)

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

13 - 16 June 2012, Leipzig

Intraoperative findings and early post-op results of surgical treatment of thoracic spine diseases: mini-thoracotomy versus endoscopic approaches

Meeting Abstract

  • M. Geiger - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn
  • M. Banat - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn
  • M. Podlogar - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn
  • I. Peters - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn
  • R.A. Kristof - Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Japanische Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 63. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC), Joint Meeting mit der Japanischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (JNS). Leipzig, 13.-16.06.2012. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2012. DocSA.09.07

doi: 10.3205/12dgnc368, urn:nbn:de:0183-12dgnc3680

Published: June 4, 2012

© 2012 Geiger et al.
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Outline

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Objective: The aim of the study was to review the intraoperative findings and early post-op results of mini-thoracotomy versus endoscopic surgery of patients with non-neoplastic thoracic spine diseases.

Methods: Between 1999 and 2009, 131 patients with non-neoplastic (injury, spondylodiscitis and degenerative diseases) thoracic spine diseases were treated by endoscopic or open (mini-thoracotomy) approaches. The data were extracted from the charts of the patients and analysed retrospectively.

Results: Out of 131 patients (mean age 48 years, female 29%), 87 (66%) were treated by endoscopic and 44 (34%) by open approach. 63% had injuries, 20% spondylodiscitis and 17% degenerative thoracic spine diseases. The most frequent localization of all pathologies was Th12 (endoscopic surgery n=27, open surgery n=18). The mean operation time was 160 minutes (endoscopic 157 min, open 182 min, p<0.041), the mean blood loss was 700 ml (endoscopic 700 ml, open 750 ml, p<0.409). The mean postoperative in hospital stay was 10 days (endoscopic 9 days, open 12 days, p < 0.030). The average duration of post-op opioid analgesics intake was 5 days (endoscopic 5 days, open 6 days, p<0.186). The overall complication rate was 18% (endoscopic 23%, open 16%, p<0.062), while the vast majority of the complications were reversible. There was no perioperative mortality.

Conclusions: Taken all together, both approaches (endoscopic and open) are comparable regarding intraoperative results and early clinical outcome. Duration of surgery and post-op in hospital stay may be minimally shorter and complication rates may be minimally higher in endoscopic than in open surgery. These findings have to be confirmed by prospective studies.