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Pediatric vertebral and spinal cord tumors: a retrospective study of musculoskeletal aspects of presentation, treatment, and complications.

Fifty-two pediatric patients with documented vertebral and spinal cord tumors were reviewed to evaluate the musculoskeletal manifestations of presentation, treatment, and management of complications. Diagnoses included 16 malignant and 36 nonmalignant vertebral and spinal cord tumors. Mean age at diagnosis was 8 years 1 month, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1. Overall, there was an average delay in diagnosis of 12 months for this group of patients. Mean clinical follow-up was 5 years. The two most common reasons for presentation were pain (67%) and spinal deformity (46%). Initial plain radiographs were positive in 82% of patients. Postlaminectomy spinal deformity occurred at a rate of 45% in patients undergoing laminectomies, and 60% of those with deformity required spinal fusion. Overall, 67% of the 52 patients underwent spinal fusion, with a 9% asymptomatic pseudarthrosis rate. Complications were common, with 1.9 complications per patient; 59% of complications required surgical management. There were no perioperative deaths. At follow-up, 19% of patients had neurologic deficits ranging from neurogenic bladder to lower extremity weakness and difficulty walking to quadriplegic. Eighty-six percent of patients were ambulating without difficulty at follow-up. The survival rate was 94% and the local recurrence rate was 27% at most recent follow-up.