[Results of surgical management of spinal neurinomas and neurofibromas at Yaounde].

BACKGROUND

Spinal neurinomas and neurofibromas are poorly studied in Sub-Saharan Africa.

AIM

The objective of this study was to report the results of the surgical management of these tumours in Yaoundé.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study done at the Yaoundé General and Yaoundé Central Hospitals from the 1st of January 1995 to the 1st of January 2005. The inclusion criteria: medical files which had the results of pre and post operatory clinical examinations, neuroradiologic and histopathologic examinations, the post operatory report. The follows up of at least six months. The functional outcome was evaluated using the Karnofsky scale.

RESULTS

Of the 62 patients operated for an intraspinal tumor, 12 (19.35%) were selected (nine neurinomas, two neurofibromas, one neurofibrosarcoma). The mean age was 40.66 years +/- 13.20 with a sex ratio of 0.71. The average duration of symptoms before the diagnosis was 17.83 months +/- 5.81; the most frequent symptom was radicular pain (six cases). Five patients were paraplegic. The average Karnofsky score was 50.00 +/- 12.79 before surgery and 70.83 +/- 23.53 after. The situation of the tumor was cervical (four cases), dorsal (six cases) and lumbar (two cases). The tumor was extradural, intradural, intra and extradural in six, four and two cases respectively. Tumor excision was macroscopically complete in nine cases and partial in three. Five patients were well enough after treatment to continue their professional activities.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of neurinomas and neurofibromas are late in our environment, resulting to poor surgical results.