Combined radiofrequency thermal ablation and percutaneous cementoplasty treatment of a pathologic fracture.

Skeletal metastases commonly occur in patients with cancer and treatment is necessary to alleviate pain and prevent complications, such as mobility deficiencies and pathologic fractures. The authors present a patient with a stage IV malignant melanoma and a pathologic fracture of the left tibial plateau treated with radiofrequency heat ablation and percutaneous cementoplasty for defect filling and stabilization. The authors believe that this approach may be an alternative to the standard treatments in palliative-care situations.