Patients with spinal metastases generally face several critical needs:
1) Pain control from the tumor invading into the spinal vertebral
2) Stability of the skeletal structure after the tumor had weakened the bony structure
3) Preservation of neurological function as the tumor often sits within small distances to the spinal cord and the spinal nerves.
Cord compression occurs when the tumor invades into the spinal canal and encroaches onto the spinal cord, leading to symptoms such as limb weakness or bladder and bowel disturbance. New advances in treatment strategies allow us to combine the expertise of each field to achieve the best results: Durable pain control, Durable tumor control, Spinal stability and Neurological Preservation.
Depending on the extent of the tumor, various modalities can be combined such as the use of spinal instrumentation to stabilise the spine; using minimally-invasive techniques, followed by radiosurgery ablation of the tumor. Such an approach allows the surgeon to minimize exposure and reduce the risk of operation and yet achieves tumor ablation through the use of stereotactic radiosurgery. Our specialists are all trained and experienced in the latest developments in these fields which have only emerged over the past decade.