Spinal pelvic reconstruction after total sacrectomy for en bloc resection of a giant sacral chordoma. Technical note.

Abstract

Although radical resection prolongs the disease-free survival period, surgical management of primary sacral tumors is challenging because of their location and often large size. Moreover, in cases of lesions for which a radical resection necessitates total sacrectomy, reconstruction is required. The authors have previously described a modified Galveston technique in which a liaison between the spine and pelvis is achieved using lumbar pedicle screws and Galveston rods embedded into the ilia; additionally, a transiliac bar reestablishes the pelvic ring. Although this reconstruction technique achieves stabilization, several biomechanical limitations exist. In the present report the authors present the case of a patient who underwent spinal pelvic reconstruction after a total sacrectomy was performed to remove a giant sacral chordoma. They describe a novel spinal pelvic reconstruction technique that addresses some of the biomechanical limitations.