Interventional procedure overview of radiofrequency ablation for palliation of painful spinal metastases
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Description
Cancer from elsewhere in the body can spread to the spine (spinal metastases), causing severe pain and weakness in the vertebrae (bones of the spine). This may lead to instability or fractures and spinal cord compression.
In this procedure a needle-like probe containing an electrode is inserted into the spinal metastases. It produces an electrical current that heats the cancer cells and destroys them (radiofrequency ablation). The aim is to shrink the spinal metastases to relieve pain and other symptoms (palliation).
This overview describes the use of this intervention as a standalone procedure, without being an adjunct to vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty.
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