Aim: The nerve sheaths are generally called as schwannomas and they are developed from dorsal nerve roots. They form 25% of the intradural tumors. They are observed more frequently in 4th and 5th decades. They are generally intradural however 20% of them develop as dumbbell shaped and become intradural-extradural components. The treatments of them are laminectomy or laminoplasty and total excision.
Materials and Methods: 37 spinal schwannoma cases operated in our clinic between the years of 2005-2015 and are investigated in our study in terms of age, sex, complaint, duration of complaints, radiological localizations, neurological examination findings, relation with the dura, surgical method implemented and the effects of these parameters on the clinical course.
Results: 19 of 37 cases were males (51.4%), 18 were females (48.6%). Age average was 44.9 (20-79). The most frequent complaint was pain (72.9%) and weakness and numbness in the legs. They had lumbar (59.5%), thoracic (24.3%), cervical (16.2%) localizations. 18.9% of the cases revealed extraforaminal extension to abdomen or thorax in the shape of dumbbell. 80% total mass excision was provided by performing 80% laminectomy and 20% laminoplasty for the patients. 3 CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid) leakage, 2 superficial infection, 1 meningitis, 3 temporary neurological deficit and 1 permanent neurological deficit developed as postop complication.
Conclusion: Nerve sheath tumors are the most frequent type of intradural extramedullary tumors and they have benign characteristics. They absolutely provide good results in early diagnosis, early period surgery, without extraforaminal extension and in total resection.
Key words: Spinal Schwannoma; Total Resection; Intradural Extramedullary Tumors
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