OBJECTIVETo find the causes of the spinal primary tumors recurrence in surgical technique.

METHODSFrom 1989 to 2002, 38 cases of primary spine tumors, including giant cell tumor, osteoblastoma, chondrosarcoma and chordoma with wide resection via a piece-meal fashion. By adopting a retrospective method, the present study investigated the clinical and imaging materials of pre- and post-operation period and those in follow-up.

RESULTSThe study included 18 cases of giant cell tumor, 6 osteoblastoma, 6 chondrosarcoma and 8 chordoma. In all cases, 63% of tumors were in cervical and cervicothoracic (C(7)-T(2)) spine; 29% in thoracolumbar (T(4)-L(5)) spine and 8% in sacrum. Tumors involved in multi-segment were 34%. And 71% patients had the tumor in the body and the arch simultaneously. And 71% of tumors formed paraspinal masses, 42% in both sides. The tumors invaded the channel in 58% of the cases. The compartment were invaded in 79% patients. Finally, 32 patients were followed up, from 1.0 approximately 14.9 years, 5.1 years average. Seventeen patients recurred after the surgery, the recurrence rate was 53%. The recurrence rate of giant cell tumor was 35%, osteoblastoma 50%, chondrosarcoma 75%, chordoma 100%. The recurrence rate of tumor in cervical and cervicothoracic spine was 63%, thoracic-lumbar 33%, sacrum 67%. The recurrence rate of multi-segment tumors was 80%, and that of single segment 41%. The recurrence rate of the tumors involving in vertebral body alone or involving the arch simultaneously reached 75% and 55% respectively; the recurrent rate in the arch alone was 33%. The recurrence rate of the tumors involving in vertebral body ranged in different segments. Those growing in cervical and cervicothoracic spine reached 73%; those growing in thoracolumbar spine was only 25%. The recurrence of the tumors without soft masses was 20%, those of single-sided soft masses was 45% and those of double-sided 91%. Among the 17 recurrent patients, 83% of the tumors were in the cervical and cervicothoracic spine. Those extending to the upper cervical and cervicothoracic amounted to 58%. All the 17 recurrent patients had body lesion and paraspinal soft masses.

CONCLUSIONSDuring the primary spinal tumor operation, that failure to get adequate exposure and full division is thought to be the cause of recurrence. So the precise design before surgery and adequate exposure of the tumor in the surgery is the guarantee of wide excision.