Resection of cervical spinal neurinoma including affected nerve root: recovery of neurological deficit in 15 cases.

In surgery for spinal neurinoma derived from a root, which is assumed to be important for function of the extremities, it is controversial whether the nerve root involved should be totally resected. We retrospectively reviewed the postoperative neurological deficits in 15 patients with solitary neurinoma or neurofibroma in a segment of the cervical spine (C5-C8); in all of them, both anterior and posterior roots were resected. Mean patient age was 47 (18-71) years and the mean follow-up period was 49 (9-137) months. 10 patients showed loss of motor function and 8 patients developed sensory impairment postoperatively. Most postoperative loss of motor function was recovered.