Articles: palliative-care.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1999
Outcome after palliative posterior surgery for metastatic disease of the spine--evaluation of 106 consecutive patients after decompression and stabilisation with the Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation.
From 1987 to 1996, 106 consecutive patients with metastatic disease of the spine who underwent palliative decompression from a dorsal approach and subsequent stabilisation with Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation (CDI) were followed prospectively, and independent of the surgeons. Parameters evaluated were neurological function, perioperative complications, survival and rehabilitation. Following the Frankel system for the assessment of neurological disorder, 33 patients had a major deficit (grade A, B or C), 23 a minor deficit (grade D) and 50 no deficit. ⋯ Overall survival time was 19.2 months, with 5 patients still alive. Six patients required re-operation for tumour recurrence at the same or at a new level. The results of this study show that neurological function, pain level and mobility can be enhanced by decompression and stabilisation through a posterior approach.
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Editorial Comment
In the frontline of palliative medicine and psychosocial oncology.
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Editorial Comment
The evolving face of palliative care in cancer medicine.