24 October 2023
Extramedullary tumors are mostly benign neoplasms that are located either in the vertebral canal or outside of it. Most often, they are represented by neurinomas and meningiomas. Neuroma is a benign tumor that grows rather slowly and develops from the cells of the sheath of the peripheral nervous system (so-called Schwann cells). Neuroma can occur in any part of the spinal cord. In relation to the dura mater, a distinction is made between neurinomas growing inside (up to 70% of cases) and neurinomas located outside the dura mater (up to 20%). In 10% of cases, neuromas extend beyond the vertebral canal through the foraminal opening. Meningiomas also belong to benign neoplasms, more often have an intracanal location and gradually compress the spinal cord.
The most frequent localization of neuroma in the brain is the bridge-cerebral angle (acoustic neuroma), and in the spinal cord sensory roots are affected (spinal neuroma). The latter are mostly observed in the cervical and thoracic regions of the spine, less often in the lumbar region of the spine (up to 25%). The clinical problem with neurinomas is its complication — squeezing out brain tissue (head, spinal cord) and destruction of functional structures.
The causes of neurinomas are unknown, but a certain risk can be caused by hereditary predisposition, adverse environmental factors, exposure to radioactive radiation, transferred infectious diseases, etc.
A small neurinoma has no clinical manifestations, and only under the conditions of compression of the adjacent tissue of the spinal cord or brain, pain, weakness in the limbs, impaired sensitivity and/or movement disorders in the limbs up to complete paralysis appear.
Diagnosis of neuroma is carried out with the help of MRI and CT-examination.
Asymptomatic benign tumors of the spine and spinal cord up to 10 mm in diameter are subject to dynamic observation, and in the case of large sizes (over 10 mm in diameter) and compression of neighboring structures - surgical removal with the use of minimally invasive endoscopic interventions. The removed tumor is subject to further histological examination.
Operative treatment of extramedullary tumors in Kyiv is available at the "Oberig" clinic, where surgical interventions at the level of world standards are performed by a leading neurosurgeon with 26 years of experience, Doctor of Medicine, Honored Doctor of Ukraine - Danchyn Andriy Oleksandrovich
Call: 044 521 30 03 or sign up for a consultation on the website: https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/
