Efficacy and Safety of Microwave Ablation for Osteoid Osteoma: A Retrospective Analysis of 35 Cases

Introduction: Osteoid osteoma is a benign bone tumor that commonly manifests in the lower extremities and causes significant pain. Contemporary treatment for this condition has shifted toward the use of percutaneous ablation techniques. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of microwave ablation in patients with osteoid osteoma. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 35 patients with osteoid osteoma treated using microwave ablation between June 2019 and June 2025. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics, such as tumor location, pain levels (assessed using the Visual Analog Scale [VAS]), complications, and hospital stay, were recorded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The average patient age was 18.08 ± 8.6 years, and the proximal femur was the most commonly affected site (9/35 patients [27%]). Microwave ablation significantly reduced pain in 34 of 35 patients (97.1%), with average VAS scores decreasing from 7.4 ± 0.94 to 1.9 ± 0.7 after the procedure. Complications occurred in 5 of 35 patients (14.3%), and the average hospital stay was 3 days. Conclusion: Our retrospective analysis showed that microwave ablation helped achieve significant pain reduction in patients with osteoid osteoma. While the procedure demonstrates efficacy, caution is necessary to minimize the risk of thermal injury to surrounding non-target tissues.