Total Resection of Complex Spinal Cord Lipomas: How, Why, and When to Operate?
Subspecialty: Spinal dysraphism
Type: Clinical Summary
### Key Findings - **Long-term Outcomes**: Total resection of complex spinal cord lipomas shows a progression-free survival (PFS) of 88.1% over 20 years, significantly better than the 34.6% PFS for partial resections at 10.5 years (p < 0.0001). - **Asymptomatic Lipomas**: For asymptomatic virgin lipomas, the PFS is 98.8%, vastly superior to 60% and 67% for non-surgical treatment options. - **Predictors of Outcome**: The only independent predictor of a favorable outcome in multivariate analysis is a low cord-sac ratio. - **Ideal Patient Profile**: Optimal candidates for total resection are youn…