Surgery for multiple myeloma of the spine : A retrospective analysis of 12 patients

Abstract

We report on 12 surgically treated patients with myeloma of the spine. Pain relief was obtained in all the patients. Paraparesis was present in 5 patients. All 12 patients subsequently became ambulatory. the average postoperative survival was 2.3 years. Eight patients, all without symptoms from the treated lesion, survived for more than 1 year. Our experience suggests that surgical treatment of multiple myeloma of the spine may be rewarding.