الفهرس 
AnatomyOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Thirty patients with intradural spinal cord lesions were operated upon between the period June 2002 and December 2009. For each patient, a full history, general examination, neurological examination, and routine laboratory investigations were done.
All patients were operated upon under general anesthesia, using the posterior approach. Pathological verification of the lesion was done in all cases. Postoperatively, patients received intravenous antibiotics for1- 5 days, in addition to corticosteroids and analgesics. Early ambulation and physiotherapy were initiated at the earliest possible timing. Postoperative radiotherapy was given to five patients, mainly to those having astrocytomas, with no significant alteration in the final outcome and prognosis to those patients.
The commonest lesion encountered was the ependymomas (8 cases); astrocytomas (6 cases). The dorsal region was the commonest to be affected (14 cases).
Pain was the commonest initial symptom. As regards the motor manifestations, monoparesis was the commonest. Sphincteric troubles occurred in sixteen patients53%.
The average age of the patients was 38.9 years. The average duration of symptomatology 13.6 months.
Magnetic resonance imaging was the radiological investigation of choice and performed in all patients. In addition, spinal angiographies, computed tomography of the brain, work-up of metastasis were done when necessary.
Total surgical excision of 15 cases was achieved. Most of the cases were ependymomas (7 cases) and meningioma (5 cases), thus it is safe to conclude that ependymomas and meningioma are amenable for total removal. Then 4 cases of nerve sheath tumor were gross total resection
As regards postoperative complications, the commonest was CSF leak which treated conservatively. Less common complications included wound infection, irreversible worsening of the neurological condition, , and hematoma.