Separation surgery for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression: A qualitative review

INTRODUCTION: The new concept of separation surgery has changed the surgical paradigms for the treatment of metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC), shifting from aggressive cytoreductive surgery towards less invasive surgery with the aim to achieve circumferential separation of the spinal cord and create a safe target for high dose Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), which turned out to be the real game-changer for disease’s local control. DISCUSSION: In this review a qualitative analysis of the English literature has been performed according to the rating of evidence, with the aim to underline the increasingly role of the concept of separation surgery in MESCC treatment. A review of the main steps in the evolution of both radiotherapy and surgery fields have been described, highlighting the important results deriving from their integration. CONCLUSION: Compared with more aggressive surgical approaches, the concept of separation surgery together with the advancements of radiotherapy and the use of SBRT for the treatment of MESCC showed promising results in order to achieve a valuable local control while reducing surgical related morbidities and complications.