Unilateral bi-portal endoscopy for the treatment of thalassemia with extramedullary hematopoietic compression of the spinal cord

Thalassemia, a blood disorder, can sometimes cause the body to produce blood cells outside the bone marrow, a condition called extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). This can lead to spinal cord compression. This paper presents two cases where this happened. The patients were treated using a minimally invasive surgical technique called unilateral bi-portal endoscopy (UBE) to relieve the pressure on their spinal cords. The UBE procedure, along with blood transfusions, successfully alleviated the patients' symptoms, offering a safe and effective treatment option.

• 1
  UBE is a safe and effective method for decompressing the spinal cord in patients with thalassemia and EMH-related spinal cord compression.
• 2
  UBE combined with blood transfusions resulted in the relief of preoperative symptoms in both cases, with no recurrence observed during the 6-month follow-up period.
• 3
  The study highlights the importance of considering EMH as a cause of spinal cord compression in patients with thalassemia, as early diagnosis and intervention can prevent irreversible nerve damage.