Role of radiofrequency ablation and cement injection for pain control in patients with spinal metastasis
Citation
Yildizhan, S., Boyaci, M. G., Rakip, U., Aslan, A., & Canbek, I. (2021). Role of radiofrequency ablation and cement injection for pain control in patients with spinal metastasis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 22(1), 1-8.Abstract
Background: The study aimed to investigate the efects and reliability of simultaneous vertebroplasty and radiofrequency ablation or radiofrequency ablation applied alone for pain control in patients with painful spine metastasis,
and to investigate the efect of preventing tumor spread in long-term follow-up.
Methods: Patients with painful vertebrae metastasis in the Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Medical Faculty, Hospital Neurosurgery Clinic between 01.01.2015 and 01.06.2020 were recruited. They were divided into groups
according to the surgical procedures applied. Group 1 included 26 patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation
only, and group 2 included 40 patients who underwent vertebroplasty with radiofrequency ablation. Computed
tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed in all patients pre-operation. The patients were
followed for at least 6months. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at the end of the 6th month in neurologically stable patients. The metastatic lesion, pain, and quality of life were evaluated with Visual Analog Scale and
Oswestry Disability Survey before and after the procedure.
Results: The mean VAS score before the procedure was 8.3±1.07 in the RFA group, and a statistically signifcant
diference was observed in VAS scores at all post-procedural measurement time-points (p <0.001). The pain scores
decreased at a rate of 58.8 and 69.6% of patients showed signifcant improvements in the QoL in the RFA-only group.
The mean VAS score was 7.44±1.06 in group RFA+VP before the procedure; the diference in the mean VAS scores
was statistically signifcant at all measurement time-points after the procedure (p <0.001). The mean pre-treatment
Oswestry Index (to assess the QoL) was 78.50% in the RFA+VP group, which improved to 14.2% after treatment.
Conclusion: Ablation + vertebroplasty performed to control palliative pain and prevent tumor spread in patients
with painful vertebral metastasis is more successful than vertebroplasty performed alone.