Minimally invasive approaches in metastatic spinal tumor surgery.

The surgical treatment of spinal metastases is still controversial. Due to developments in diagnostic imaging there has been a great evolution in minimally invasive surgical techniques for the spinal surgery. Most of the patients with spinal metastases are debilitated and under high risk of major surgical morbidity and mortality. Less perioperative pain, less blood loss, less hospitalization time, protection of the spine biomechanics, fast recovery and less morbidity in medically debilitated patients are the advantages of minimally invasive surgical techniques. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy or combining both treatments are the standard treatment options for spinal tumors following surgery. Standard open approaches are not suitable for some patients due to limited life expectancies, high surgical complication rates and decrease in quality of life. Minimal invasive techniques represent major advance in minimizing approach related morbidity in the treatment of spinal tumors. Because of the evolution of minimally invasive surgical techniques for the spinal surgery, minimally invasive techniques are alternative treatment to standard open approaches for the treatment of metastatic spinal tumors. Due to less complication rates there has been a trend toward the minimalization of spine surgery.