STUDY DESIGN: The retrospective analysis of intramedullary hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) was performed, and the entity was discussed in accordance with the literature findings. PURPOSE: This study aimed at defining distinctive characteristic features of intramedullary HPC with respect to surgical approach and prognosis. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Intramedullary HPCs are extremely rare tumors. They originate from capillary pericytes, supposedly follow the vessels over the spinal cord, and infiltrate deep into the spinal cord without a distinct plane. Their treatments and prognosis are not well-defined in the literature. METHODS: Our database was retrospectively reviewed for the cases of HPCs. Later on, a literature search was performed to reveal all reported cases of intramedullary HPCs. The following key words were searched in PubMed databases: "hemangiopericytoma and intramedullary," "hemangiopericytoma and spine (spinal) and intradural," and "hemangiopericytoma and spinal cord." The articles were reviewed for patients' demographics features, imaging characteristics, tumor-specific factors (surgical technique, pathological descriptions, and world health organization grades), and postoperative course and prognosis (adjuvant therapies, recurrences, complications, and mortalities). RESULTS: A total of seven patients (three male and four female) was reached, with their ages ranging from 15 to 80 years (mean, 32.5 years). The tumors were located majorly in thoracic region (5/7, 71.4%), and only two cases were in the cervical region (2/7, 28.6%). All tumors were completely removed, and only two cases received radiotherapy. No recurrence was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Complete resection of the intramedullary HPCs seems to be the best management strategy for long-term and recurrence-free survival and in alleviating further need for radiotherapy.
Capillaries ; Demography ; Hemangiopericytoma* ; Humans ; Male ; Pericytes ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord ; Spine ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: Coskun hernia repair technique has been reported to be an effective new fascia transversalis repair with its short-term follow-up results. Our aim is to determine the results of Coskun hernia repair technique and to compare it with Lichtenstein technique. METHODS: At this comparative retrospective study a total of 493 patients, who had groin hernia repair procedure using Coskun or Lichtenstein technique, between January 1999 and March 2010 were enrolled into the study. Patients were reached by telephone and invited to get a physical examination. RESULTS: Out of 493 groin hernia repairs, 436 (88.5%) were carried out by residents and 57 (11.5%) by attending surgeons. Lichtenstein technique was the choice in 241 patients and 252 patients underwent Coskun hernia repair technique. Groin hernia recurrence was detected in 8 patients (3.1%) in Coskun hernia repair group and 7 patients (2.9%) in Lichtenstein group. Comparison of early complication rates in Coskun group (3.9%) and Lichtenstein group (4.5%) showed no significant difference. Late complication rates were significantly higher in Lichtenstein group (1.2% vs. 4.9%). The operation time was shorter in Coskun group (44 minutes) than in Lichtenstein group (60 minutes). Subgroup of patients, whose hernia repair operations were carried out by attending surgeons, had a recurrence rate of 0% and 3.8%, in Coskun group and Lichtenstein group, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that Coskun hernia repair technique has a similar efficacy with Lichtenstein repair, on follow-up.
Fascia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Groin* ; Hernia* ; Herniorrhaphy* ; Humans ; Methods* ; Physical Examination ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Mesh ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Telephone