Percutaneous Minimally Invasive Techniques in the Treatment of Spinal Metastases

Opinion Statement

Spinal metastases are a common and morbid condition in America. Of the 1.6 million new cases of cancer estimated to be diagnosed in the USA in 2015, approximately 5–10 % will develop spinal metastases. This number is expected to increase as the life expectancy of cancer patients increases. Patients with osteolytic spinal metastases experience severe and often debilitating pain, which significantly reduces quality of life. Due to the morbidity of open surgery, particularly in oncologic patients, the treatment paradigm has shifted towards minimally invasive therapy. The advent and evolution of percutaneous treatments of spinal metastases has shown progressive success in reducing pain, improving function, and providing mechanical stability. There are various currently available interventions including vertebroplasty, vertebral augmentation, and coblation and radiofrequency ablation systems. For more complex spinal metastases, combined treatments including vertebral augmentation in conjunction with radiofrequency ablation, external beam radiation, and the novel treatment of intraoperative radiotherapy are also available. Ultimately, the goal of treatment in this patient population is palliative with the intention of improving the remaining quality of life. There is no established algorithm or specific technique that has proved best for the many variations of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), so treatment tends to be dependent on the operator and/or based on institution preference or bias. Each technique provides its own unique value in the various types of metastatic VCFs encountered, and understanding the uses, advantages, and safety profile of each specific treatment is imperative in providing the best patient care. Percutaneous treatment of metastatic spinal disease is an excellent alternative to medical and surgical management in carefully selected patients. We believe that a multidisciplinary approach and combination therapy allows for optimal pain reduction and improvement of function.

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