Radiofrequency ablation as an adjunct to balloon kyphoplasty or percutaneous vertebroplasty 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). During the same procedure, bone cement is injected into the resultant cavity (percutaneous vertebroplasty) or a balloon is put into the vertebral cavity to lift the bone into position and then cement is injected (balloon kyphoplasty).
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