Metastatic spine disease: surgical treatment by anterior corpectomy and Ziekel's VDS fixation

The spine is the common site of skeletal metastases. The goal of surgical treatment of metastatic spine disease is to improve the quality of remaining life, by relief of pain, the preservation or restoration of neurologic function, and reconstruction of the spinal stability. From 1984 through June 1993, 40 consecutive patients underwent surgical treatment by anterior corpectomy, and bone cement with VDS fixation for corporal metastatic diseases. There were 28 men and 12 women. The average age was 53.2 years, range from 21 to 76 years. Twenty-four patients had metastasis to the thoracic spine, 12 to the lumbar spine, and 4 had both thoracic and lumbar metastases. The primary malignancies were lung cancers in 10 cases, colorectal carcinomata in 6, hepatomas in 5, thyroid cancers in 4, cancer of stomach, renal, breast, nasopharynx, long bone, skin, cervical in 1 case respectively. A primary carcinoma was never identified in 8 patients. In the present series, 4 patients died within one month, 36 patients were allowed for follow-up study. Thirty-two patients (89%) attained pain relief. Thirty patients presented with neurologic compromise. After operation, neurologic improvement was noted in 21 (70%). No patient's neurologic function deteriorated secondary to surgical intervention. We conclude that anterior corpectomy to decompress neural encroachment with VDS and cement fixation to stabilize the collapsed spine is an adjunctive treatment to reduce pain and restore the neurologic function in these highly selected patients.