What if the spinal column is damaged?
Many tumours in the spine will affect the bone of the vertebral body, causing it to weaken, and occasionally collapse. This is known as a crush fracture. When this happens it may be necessary to perform surgery to “re-build” the broken bone(s), but there are other techniques which can sometimes be used, which do not involve an operation. The operation To remove a tumour in the spinal cord, considerable surgical preparation is required. The assistance of a neurophysiologist is arranged, so that the function of the spinal cord can be monitored throughout the operation. The spine is usually approached through an incision on the back, overlying the site of the tumour, and the muscles are retracted, to allow clear visualisation of the spinal bones. A portion of the bone is then carefully removed, to expose the lining of the spinal canal, a tissue called the dura mater. This can then be opened and the surgeon can then see the spinal cord and the tumour. Using an operating microscope, the sur
