ISOLATED LATERAL SURGICAL APPROACH FOR VERTEBRAL BODY TUMORS WITH EXTRADURAL INTRACANAL INVASION AT Th11–L2
Keywords:
spinal tumors; lateral approach; thoracolumbar junction; corpectomy; decompression; spinal surgery; metastases; ASIA; spinal oncologyAbstract
Objective: To assess the efficacy of the lateral extrapleural–retroperitoneal approach in resecting vertebral body tumors with extradural intraspinal extension at the thoracolumbar junction (Th11–L2).
This retrospective study involved 18 patients who underwent single-stage anterior decompression and reconstruction of the anterior spinal column using a titanium interbody implant between 2023 and 2025. Metastatic lesions were identified in 13 patients (72%). Preoperative neurological deficits were present in 7 patients (39%); of these, 5 experienced postoperative improvement, while 2 showed no neurological change. Among the 11 neurologically intact patients, no postoperative deterioration was observed. In all cases, complete anterior decompression and stable segmental reconstruction were achieved without the need for posterior access.
These outcomes align with international findings supporting the use of anterior approaches in spinal oncology. The lateral extrapleural–retroperitoneal approach demonstrated high clinical effectiveness, safety, and reproducibility in the treatment of tumors involving the thoracolumbar transition zone.
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