Revisiting the Vertebral Venous Plexus–A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

The prognosis of prostate cancer is mainly determined by the presence or absence of metastases. Nevertheless, the metastatic pathways in prostate cancer are not entirely understood. Among 19,316 routine autopsies performed from 1967 to 1995 on men older than 40 years of age, the reports from those 1,589 (8.2%) with prostate cancer were analyzed. Hematogeneous metastases were present in 35% of 1,589 patients with prostate cancer, with most frequent involvement being bone (90%), lung (46%), liver (25%), pleura (21%), and adrenals (13%). Several lines of evidence suggested the existence of a backward metastatic pathway through veins from the prostate to the spine in addition to classical hematogeneous tumor spread via the vena cava. First, there was an inverse relationship between spine and lung metastases, suggesting that metastasis to the spine is independent of lung metastasis. Second, the maximum frequency of spine involvement occurred in smaller tumors (4 to 6 cm) as compared with the maximum spread to lung (6 to 8 cm) and liver (>8 cm), suggesting that spine metastases precede lung and liver metastases in many prostate cancers. Third, there was a gradual decrease in spine involvement from the lumbar to the cervical level (97% v 38%), which is consistent with a subsequent upward metastatic spread along spinal veins after initial lumbar metastasis. The results of this study show that bone, lung, and liver are the most frequent sites of distant prostate cancer metastases. Besides the cava-type of metastasis through lung passage, there are strong arguments for the existence and clinical significance of a backward venous spread to the spine, which is likely to occur early in the metastatic process.

Spinal tuberculosis is a destructive form of tuberculosis. It accounts for approximately half of all cases of musculoskeletal tuberculosis. Spinal tuberculosis is more common in children and young adults. The incidence of spinal tuberculosis is increasing in developed nations. Genetic susceptibility to spinal tuberculosis has recently been demonstrated. Characteristically, there is destruction of the intervertebral disk space and the adjacent vertebral bodies, collapse of the spinal elements, and anterior wedging leading to kyphosis and gibbus formation. The thoracic region of vertebral column is most frequently affected. Formation of a 'cold' abscess around the lesion is another characteristic feature. The incidence of multi-level noncontiguous vertebral tuberculosis occurs more frequently than previously recognized. Common clinical manifestations include constitutional symptoms, back pain, spinal tenderness, paraplegia, and spinal deformities. For the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis magnetic resonance imaging is more sensitive imaging technique than x-ray and more specific than computed tomography. Magnetic resonance imaging frequently demonstrates involvement of the vertebral bodies on either side of the disk, disk destruction, cold abscess, vertebral collapse, and presence of vertebral column deformities. Neuroimaging-guided needle biopsy from the affected site in the center of the vertebral body is the gold standard technique for early histopathological diagnosis. Antituberculous treatment remains the cornerstone of treatment. Surgery may be required in selected cases, e.g. large abscess formation, severe kyphosis, an evolving neurological deficit, or lack of response to medical treatment. With early diagnosis and early treatment, prognosis is generally good.