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Value of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation with or without percutaneous vertebroplasty for pain relief and functional recovery in painful bone metastases

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation with or without percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) on pain relief, functional recovery and local recurrence at 6 months’ follow-up (FU), in patients with painful osseous metastases.

Materials and methods

Thirty RF ablations were performed in 24 patients (mean age: 61 years) with bone metastases. Half of the patients had an additional PV. The primary end point was pain relief evaluated by a visual analogue scale (VAS) before treatment, and at 1 and 6 months’ FU. Functional outcome was assessed according to the evolution of their ability to walk at 6 months’ FU. Imaging FU was available in 20 out of 24 patients with a mean delay of 4.7 months.

Results

Reduction of pain was obtained at 6 months FU in 81% of cases (15 out of 18). Mean pretreatment VAS was 6.4 (±2.7). Mean VAS was 1.9 (±2.4) at 1 month FU, and 2.3 (±2.9) at 6 months’ FU. Pain was significantly reduced at 6 months FU (mean VAS reduction = 4.1; P < 0.00001). Functional improvement was obtained in 74% of the cases. Major complications rate was 12.5 % (3 out of 24) with 2 skin burns, and 1 case of myelopathy. Local tumour recurrence or progression was recorded in 5 cases.

Conclusion

Radiofrequency ablation is an effective technique in terms of pain relief and functional recovery for the treatment of bone metastases, which provides a relatively low rate of local recurrence.

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Abbreviations

FU:

Follow-up

RF:

Radiofrequency

SUV:

Standardised uptake value

VAS:

Visual analogue scale

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank M. Pierre Grare for his kind help in the English editing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Frédéric Clarençon.

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Clarençon, F., Jean, B., Pham, HP. et al. Value of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation with or without percutaneous vertebroplasty for pain relief and functional recovery in painful bone metastases. Skeletal Radiol 42, 25–36 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-011-1294-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-011-1294-0

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