Rosario Maugeri1, Francesca Graziano2, Luigi Basile1, Carlo Gulì1, Antonella Giugno1, Giuseppe Roberto Giammalva1, Massimiliano Visocchi3, Domenico Gerardo Iacopino1. 1. Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Neurosurgical Clinic, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 129, Palermo, 90100, Italy. 2. Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Neurosurgical Clinic, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 129, Palermo, 90100, Italy. franeurosurgery@libero.it. 3. Institute of Neurosurgery, Medical School, Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Painful spinal metastases usually occur in malignant neoplastic disease. Treatment for bone metastases has been largely conservative, and it includes the use of high doses of analgesics, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and bisphosphonates; however, results are sometimes transient and ineffective. In the presence of neurological involvement a surgical strategy should be considered. Recently, percutaneous procedures such as radiofrequency ablation, vertebroplasty, and kyphoplasty have been introduced as palliative techniques to treat painful vertebral metastases [3, 11, 25]. METHODS: In our study we combined the use of radiofrequency ablation with vertebroplasty in the treatment of dorsolumbar metastatic vertebral fractures in order to examine the relationship between restoration of the vertebral structure and decrease in pain. From January 2014 to March 2015 we retrospectively analyzed 18 patients with malignant vertebral lesions who underwent radiofrequency ablation with vertebroplasty followed by cementoplasty, with posterior transpedicle fixation on levels near the lesions. The parameters examined were: demographics, pain relief, and the distribution of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) determined by the mean Saliou filling score; all complications were recorded. FINDINGS: The mean age of the patients was 55.72 years (range 34-69); average operative time was 60.4 min (range, 51-72). The average pain index score (visual analog score; VAS) decreased significantly from 8.05 at baseline to 3.0 (p < 0.05) after 6 months. The Saliou filling score revealed a distribution of PMMA in the vertebral body that was satisfactory (12-18) in eight patients, mediocre (6-12) in seven patients, and inadequate (0-6) in the remaining three patients. In two vertebrae, minimal asymptomatic cement leakage occurred in the lateral recess without neurological damage. No pulmonary embolism and no visceral or neural damage was recorded. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation combined with vertebroplasty seems to achieve rapid and lasting improvement in clinical symptoms in patients with malignant vertebral lesions. There was wide diffusion of PMMA in the vertebral body, with a mean cement volume of 4.5 ml.
BACKGROUND: Painful spinal metastases usually occur in malignant neoplastic disease. Treatment for bone metastases has been largely conservative, and it includes the use of high doses of analgesics, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and bisphosphonates; however, results are sometimes transient and ineffective. In the presence of neurological involvement a surgical strategy should be considered. Recently, percutaneous procedures such as radiofrequency ablation, vertebroplasty, and kyphoplasty have been introduced as palliative techniques to treat painful vertebral metastases [3, 11, 25]. METHODS: In our study we combined the use of radiofrequency ablation with vertebroplasty in the treatment of dorsolumbar metastatic vertebral fractures in order to examine the relationship between restoration of the vertebral structure and decrease in pain. From January 2014 to March 2015 we retrospectively analyzed 18 patients with malignant vertebral lesions who underwent radiofrequency ablation with vertebroplasty followed by cementoplasty, with posterior transpedicle fixation on levels near the lesions. The parameters examined were: demographics, pain relief, and the distribution of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) determined by the mean Saliou filling score; all complications were recorded. FINDINGS: The mean age of the patients was 55.72 years (range 34-69); average operative time was 60.4 min (range, 51-72). The average pain index score (visual analog score; VAS) decreased significantly from 8.05 at baseline to 3.0 (p < 0.05) after 6 months. The Saliou filling score revealed a distribution of PMMA in the vertebral body that was satisfactory (12-18) in eight patients, mediocre (6-12) in seven patients, and inadequate (0-6) in the remaining three patients. In two vertebrae, minimal asymptomatic cement leakage occurred in the lateral recess without neurological damage. No pulmonary embolism and no visceral or neural damage was recorded. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation combined with vertebroplasty seems to achieve rapid and lasting improvement in clinical symptoms in patients with malignant vertebral lesions. There was wide diffusion of PMMA in the vertebral body, with a mean cement volume of 4.5 ml.
Authors: Roberta Costanzo; Gianluca Ferini; Lara Brunasso; Lapo Bonosi; Massimiliano Porzio; Umberto Emanuele Benigno; Sofia Musso; Rosa Maria Gerardi; Giuseppe Roberto Giammalva; Federica Paolini; Paolo Palmisciano; Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana; Carmelo Lucio Sturiale; Rina Di Bonaventura; Domenico Gerardo Iacopino; Rosario Maugeri Journal: Life (Basel) Date: 2022-03-28
Authors: Giuseppe Roberto Giammalva; Gianluca Ferini; Fabio Torregrossa; Lara Brunasso; Sofia Musso; Umberto Emanuele Benigno; Rosa Maria Gerardi; Lapo Bonosi; Roberta Costanzo; Federica Paolini; Paolo Palmisciano; Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana; Rina Di Bonaventura; Carmelo Lucio Sturiale; Domenico Gerardo Iacopino; Rosario Maugeri Journal: Life (Basel) Date: 2022-04-12
Authors: Rosario Maugeri; Antonella Giugno; Roberto G Giammalva; Carlo Gulì; Luigi Basile; Francesca Graziano; Domenico G Iacopino Journal: Surg Neurol Int Date: 2017-08-10