A Systematic Review of the Current Role of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in the Management of Metastatic Spine Disease

Table 1

Endoscopic video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAST) outcomes. MOT: Mean operating time; LOS: Length of stay; NI: Neurological improvement rate; PA: Pain alleviation rate; CR: Complications rate; MBL: Mean blood loss.

Study	Design and procedure	Outcome results
Rosenthal et al. [20]; 1996	Retrospective analysis (𝑛=4) of outcomes associated with VAST MIS management of thoracic metastatic spine disease	MOT: 6.5 hours; LOS: median 7.5 days; NI: All patients experienced neurological improvement; in addition, all were independently ambulatory at time discharge and followup (mean 11 mo); PA: All patients free of pain at time of discharge and followup (mean 11 mo); CR: none; MBL = mean 1450 mL
Huang et al. [24]	Retrospective analysis (𝑛=41) to analyze the complication rate in VAST MIS	MOT: 3.1 hours; CR: 54%; MBL: mean 775 mL
Le Huec et al. [25], 2001	Case series (𝑛=2) to report outcomes associated with the use of VAST to manage spinal metastases at the cervicothoracic junction	MOT: 2.6 hours; NI: Both patients experienced neurological improvement and were independent at followup (mean 9.5 mo); PA: Both patients experienced pain relief and only one required narcotics postoperatively; CR: 1 patient suffered a progressive recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy; MBL: 350 mL
McLain [21], 2001	Retrospective case series (𝑛=8) to evaluate outcomes of endoscopy-assisted posterolateral approach to manage thoracic metastatic spine disease	MOT: 6 hours; LOS: 6.5 days; NI: All 8 patients experienced neurological improvement; PA: All 8 patients experienced pain relief. Additionally 63% of patients experienced complete pain relief; CR: none; MBL: 1677 mL
Mobbs et al. [26], 2002	Case report (𝑛=1) of endoscope-assisted posterior decompression of a solitary renal cell carcinoma metastatic lesion	NI: Patient was neurologically intact at two-month followup. Patient initially presented with hyperreflexia; PA: Patient was pain-free at two-month followup; CR: Patient experienced no procedural complications