Spine Intervention

- Vertebral Augmentation & RFA -

Spinal metastases are the most commonly encountered tumor of the spine, occurring in up to 40% of patients with cancer. 5% of cancer patients may have spinal metastases and this will increase as life expectancy increases. Pain from these spinal metastases is frequently debilitating, which often decreases quality of life. Treatment strategies involve a combination of pain medications, bisphosphonates, radiotherapy and/or relatively extensive surgery. Minimally invasive neurointerventional radiology techniques such as vertebral augmentation and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have shown progressive success in improving function by reducing pain in many patients with symptomatic spinal metastases. Both vertebral augmentation and RFA are increasingly being used as excellent synergistic tool with medical and/or surgical management in patients with spinal metastases. RFA and vertebral augmentation offers immense value to the pain reduction and quality of life in this patient population group.