Radiofrequency ablation combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of spinal metastases: preliminary experience in 12 cases

Objective: To discuss the clinical effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in treating. Methods: Twelve patients with spinal metastases were enrolled in this study. The patients, including 8 males and 4 females, had 21 vertebral metastases in total. Posterior cortical destruction of vertebral body was detected in 3 vertebrae. Twelve patients presented with a chief complain of different degrees of thoracodorsal pain or lumbago, among them three showed variable degrees of dysneuria and two showed signs of spinal compression. Guided by DSA, RFA was performed first, which was followed by PVP. All the patients were followed up for 4-12 weeks. The preoperative and postoperative pain severity was evaluated by visual analogue score (VAS) and the analgesic dosage taken by the patient. The results were statistically analyzed by using paired samples t test with SPSS 11.0 statistical software. Results: The procedure was successfully completed in all patients. Pain rating with VAS at 24 hours after the treatment was slightly decreased when compared with the preoperative one. At 3 days after the treatment VAS was obviously decreased. No recurrence of clinical symptoms was observed at one week, one and 3 months after the treatment, meanwhile VAS was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The analgesic dosage taken by the patient was reduced in 11 cases, and the dosage was unchanged in one case. Conclusion For the treatment of spinal metastases, DSA-guided radiofrequency ablation therapy combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty can obtain an excellent short-term effect. This treatment is safe and minimally-invasive with reliable clinical results, besides, it can markedly improve the quality of life of the patients. (authors)