Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH)
170 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 7HA
Removal of a spinal tumour
HCA UK’s spinal experts can support and guide you through surgery to remove spinal tumours.
About spinal tumours
Spinal tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or cancerous (malignant). Many cancers occurring in the spine have spread from other organs in the body.
Spinal tumours are usually ependymomas, which start in the spinal cord or brain, or nerve-sheath tumours, which start in the central nervous system in the spinal cord. Excision, or surgery, removes the tumour.
Need to know
You will be placed under local or general anaesthetic. Your gynaecological surgeon's techniques may vary.
If they are performing a hydrothermal, they'll begin by pumping a fluid into your uterus and heating it. This will remove the endometrium after about 10 minutes. Alternatively, your consultant may guide a small balloon on a tube through your uterus. They will then insert a heated fluid into the balloon to expand and break the endometrium.
In some cases, the endometrium can be frozen off. This is carried out by a very cold tip on a small probe that is passed through the uterus.
Your consultant will explain how best to prepare for endometrial ablation, answering any questions you might have.
Most women are able to return to their normal routine within a week. Other things you may experience in the recovery process include:
- nausea or an urge to urinate for 24 hours
- cramping and/or bleeding for a few days
- watery and/or bloody discharge for up to three weeks
You might be prescribed medicine if you feel any pain. If you experience any severe side effects, you should contact your consultant who can arrange a follow-up appointment
Our spinal tumour locations
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street London W1G 8BJ
The Princess Grace Hospital Outpatients
30 Devonshire Street London W1G 6PU
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place London W1U 5NY
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, London SW1W 8RH
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street London SE1 9BS
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street London SE1 2PR
Chelsea Outpatients - 280 King's Road
280 King's Road London SW3 5AW
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place London NW8 9LE
Chiswick Outpatients
Bond House 347-353 Chiswick High Road London W4 4HS
The Wilmslow Hospital
52-54 Alderley Road Wilmslow SK9 1NY
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.