Case series addresses spine tumors in pregnancy
(HealthDay)—For most pregnant patients with benign spine tumors, surgery can be postponed until after delivery, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of Spine.
Tong Meng, M.D., from the Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, and colleagues describe characteristics of spine tumors during pregnancy and examine therapeutic strategies of such tumors. Data from 21 pregnant patients (mean age, 28.87 years) with spinal tumors were reviewed.
The researchers found that the tumors were giant cell tumor (five cases), hemangioma (five cases), schwannoma (four cases), eosinophilic granuloma (two cases), neurofibroma (one case), multiple myeloma (one case), and metastatic tumor (three cases). Only two patients underwent spine surgery during pregnancy, and tumor resection was performed immediately after delivery in eight patients. In five patients, pregnancy termination occurred, while the remaining patients gave birth to healthy babies, including three premature infants. During follow-up, two patients died and two experienced local recurrence.
"With close observation, it was found that most pregnant patients with benign spine tumors could postpone surgery [until] after delivery," the authors write.
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