[Minimally invasive surgical treatment of extramedullary tumors at the level of craniovertebral junction: experience of the Burdenko Neurosurgical Center]. / Minimal'no invazivnoe khirurgicheskoe lechenie patsientov s ekstramedullyarnymi opukholyami na urovne kraniovertebral'nogo perekhoda: opyt NMITs neirokhirurgii im. akad. N.N. Burdenko.

OBJECTIVE: To describe own experience of treating patients with extramedullary tumors at the level of craniovertebral junction using minimally invasive surgical approaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 29 patients who underwent minimally invasive microsurgical resection of extramedullary tumors at the level of craniovertebral junction. We analyzed the main clinical and surgical parameters. RESULTS: Gross total resection was achieved in most patients with high degree of safety. Two patients required redo surgery due to CSF leakage and soft tissue cyst. Mean length of hospital-stay was 7 days. VAS score of pain syndrome at discharge was 2 points and 0 points after 3 months. No significant differences in neurophysiological monitoring indicators were observed (p=0.76). CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive posterior approaches to extramedullary tumors at the level of craniovertebral junction can significantly reduce surgical trauma with equal extent of resection.