Is Radiofrequency Ablation in Conjunction With Vertebral Augmentation an Effective Option in Painful Spinal Metastasis?

Objective: Patients with metastatic tumors are most frequently expressed with painful spinal lesions. However, effective palliative treatment is still controversial. The aim of this study is the assessment of the efficacy and safety of vertebral augmentation in conjunction with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of painful spinal metastases. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six patients with metastatic spine tumors treated with RFA in conjunction with cement augmentation between June 2014 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were followed up for an average of 25.213.8 months. Evaluation of efficacy is performed based on tumor pain, pain disability, functional activities, quality of life, neurological status, and tumor progression. Reliability evaluation was made based on complications and side effects. Results: The mean age was 64.412.6 years. The female to male ratio was 14:12. RFA with augmentation was successfully performed on all patients. No major complications developed in these patients. Primary tumors were observed to be more breast (38%), renal (23%) and multiple myeloma (12%). Visval analogue Scale scores decreased after the procedure and improvement continued in every period of follow-up (from 8.21 months preoperatively to 3.51.6 months postoperatively p<0.005). The patients discontinued painkiller use after one month. On the Oswestry dysability scale score, significant improvement was observed in the first month (41.815.1 vs 82.69.1, p<.005). Tumor progression was observed in different regions in 10 patients and we lost those patients in the follow-up.