Surgical resection of intradural extramedullary tumors in the atlantoaxial spine via a posterior approach

Figure 1 This 29-year-old male patient experienced a significant deterioration in his neurological condition and was unable to walk after 3 mo (Case 2). A: Preoperative sagittal enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): an intradural extramedullary tumor located anterior to the atlantoaxial spinal cord; B: Preoperative coronal enhanced MRI: an intradural extramedullary tumor extending into the spinal canal at C1-C2 Levels; C, D: 3 mo and 31 mo postoperative sagittal T2-weighted MRI showing complete tumor resection; E: Preoperative X-ray: cervical sagittal alignment shows a loss of cervical lordosis; F, G, H: 3 mo, 18 mo and 31 mo postoperative X-ray: C1-C2 fixation with cervical pedicle screws and titanium plates.

Figure 2 This 48-year-old female patient experienced a significant deterioration in her neurological condition (Case 8). A: Preoperative sagittal enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): an intradural extramedullary tumor located anterior to the atlantoaxial spinal cord; B: Preoperative coronal enhanced MRI: an intradural extramedullary tumor extending into the spinal canal at C1-C2 Levels; C, D: 3 mo and 38 mo postoperative sagittal T2-weighted MRI showing complete tumor resection; E: Preoperative X-ray: cervical sagittal alignment shows a loss of cervical lordosis; F, G, H: 3 mo, 24 mo and 38 mo postoperative X-ray: C1-C2 fixation with cervical pedicle screws and titanium plates.

Figure 3 The Japanese Orthopedic Association score before and after surgery in all cases. JOA: Japanese Orthopedic Association.

Figure 4 The Nurick grade before and after surgery in all cases.