Technique efficacy and safety following percutaneous cryoablation of extra-spinal thyroid cancer bone metastases with curative intent: single-center experience with a median follow-up of more than 5 years

Liquid nitrogen-based cryoablation: complication rates for lung, bone, and soft tissue tumors cryoablation

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the complication rate during and 24 hours after cryoablation in lung, bone, and soft tissue tumors.

METHODS

We reviewed complications in a total of 85 consecutive patients who underwent cryoablation using a liquid nitrogen-based system in various lesions between April 2017 and October 2022. There were no liver and renal lesions. Complications were categorized using the Society of Interventional Radiology classification.

RESULTS

Eighty-five patients were treated for 96 lesions in the bone (36.4%; 35 of 96), lung (18.8%; 18 of 96), and soft tissue (44.8%; 43 of 96). The primary technical success rate was 97.7% (83 of 85). The total grade 2 and 1 complication rates were 5.2% (5/96) and 20.8% (20/96), respectively. Two patients had asymptomatic pulmonary embolisms incidentally noted at the 24-hour follow-up computed tomography (grade 2). The most frequent complications were simple and hemorrhagic pleural effusions (18.7%; 18 of 96). Lung procedures had the highest complication rate, where 13 patients (72.2%; 13 of 18) reported complications, including 2 cases of symptomatic hydropneumothorax requiring drainage (grade 2) and an additional 2 days of hospital stay. Eight patients (24.2%; 8 of 33) with bone lesions and 4 (9.3%; 4 of 43) with soft tissue lesions experienced complications.

CONCLUSION

Cryoablation using a liquid nitrogen-based system is safe, with only minor complications observed.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

This study provides data on the safety of liquid nitrogen-based percutaneous cryoablation in tumors located in lung, in bones and in soft tissues. Despite using larger diameter cryoprobes than those typically reported with argon-based system, our experience shows that complications are mostly low and comparable in frequency and severity.

Management of metastatic bone disease of the pelvis: current concepts

PURPOSE

Metastatic disease of the pelvis is frequently associated with severe pain and impaired ambulatory function. Depending on the patient's characteristics, primary tumor, and metastatic pelvic disease, the treatment choice may be varied. This study aims to report on the current management options of metastatic pelvic disease.

METHODS

We comprehensively researched multiple databases and evaluated essential studies about current concepts of managing a metastatic bone disease of the pelvis, focusing on specific indications as well as on the result of treatment.

RESULTS

Pelvic metastases not in the periacetabular region can be managed with modification of weight-bearing, analgesics, bisphosphonates, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Minimally invasive approaches include radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, embolization, percutaneous osteoplasty, and percutaneous screw placement. Pathological or impending periacetabular fracture, excessive periacetabular bone defect, radioresistant tumor, and persistent debilitating pain despite non-surgical treatment and/or minimally invasive procedures can be managed with different surgical techniques. Overall, treatment can be divided into nonoperative, minimally invasive, and operative based on specific indications, the expectations of the patient and the lesion.

CONCLUSION

Different treatment modalities exist to manage metastatic pelvic bone disease. Decision-making for the most appropriate treatment should be made with a multidisciplinary approach based on a case-by-case basis.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound versus percutaneous thermal ablation in local control of bone oligometastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The percutaneous thermal ablation techniques (pTA) are radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, and microwave ablation, suitable for the treatment of bone oligometastases. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a noninvasive ablation technique.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effectiveness and safety of MRgFUS and pTA for treating bone oligometastases and their complications.

METHODS

Studies were selected with a PICO/PRISMA protocol: pTA or MRgFUS in patients with bone oligometastases; non-exclusive curative treatment. Exclusion criteria were: primary bone tumor; concurrent radiation therapy; palliative therapy; and absence of imaging at follow-up. PubMed, BioMed Central, and Scopus were searched. The modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed articles quality. For each treatment (pTA and MRgFUS), we conducted two separate random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the pooled effectiveness and safety. The effectiveness was assessed by combining the proportions of treated lesions achieving local tumor control (LTC); the safety by combining the complications rates of treated patients. Meta-regression analyses were performed to identify any outcome predictor.

RESULTS

A total of 24 articles were included. Pooled LTC rate for MRgFUS was 84% (N = 7, 95% CI 66-97%, I2 = 74.7%) compared to 65% of pTA (N = 17, 95% CI 51-78%, I2 = 89.3%). Pooled complications rate was similar, respectively, 13% (95% CI 1-32%, I2 = 81.0%) for MRgFUS and 12% (95% CI 8-18%, I2 = 39.9%) for pTA, but major complications were recorded with pTA only. The meta-regression analyses, including technique type, study design, tumor, and follow-up, found no significant predictors.

DISCUSSION

The effectiveness and safety of the two techniques were found comparable, even though MRgFUS is a noninvasive treatment that did not cause any major complication. Limited data availability on MRgFUS and the lack of direct comparisons with pTA may affect these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

MRgFUS can be a valid, safe, and noninvasive treatment for bone oligometastases. Direct comparison studies are needed to confirm its promising benefits.

Interventional management of malignant bone tumours

In the last few decades, interventional radiology (IR) has significantly increased its role in the management of bone tumours including bone metastases (BM) that represent the most common type of tumour involving the bone. The current IR management of BM is based on the 'palliative-curative' paradigm and relies on the use of consolidative (i.e. osteplasty, osteosynthesis) and/or ablation (i.e. cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, electrochemotherapy) techniques. The present narrative review will overview the current role of IR for the management of BM.

Bone Consolidation: A Practical Guide for the Interventional Radiologist

In recent years, interventional radiologists have been increasingly involved in the management of bone fractures resulting from benign (osteoporosis and trauma), as well as malignant (tumor-related impending or pathologic fractures) conditions. Interventional techniques used to fix fractures include image-guided osteoplasty, screw-mediated osteosynthesis, or combinations of both. In the present narrative review, we highlight the most common clinical scenarios that may benefit from such interventional techniques with specific focus on spine, pelvic ring, and long bones.

The New Ice Age of Musculoskeletal Intervention: Role of Percutaneous Cryoablation in Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors

In the rapidly evolving field of interventional oncology, minimally invasive methods, including CT-guided cryoablation, play an increasingly important role in tumor treatment, notably in bone and soft tissue cancers. Cryoablation works using compressed gas-filled probes to freeze tumor cells to temperatures below -20 °C, exploiting the Joule-Thompson effect. This cooling causes cell destruction by forming intracellular ice crystals and disrupting blood flow through endothelial cell damage, leading to local ischemia and devascularization. Coupling this with CT technology enables precise tumor targeting, preserving healthy surrounding tissues and decreasing postoperative complications. This review reports the most important literature on CT-guided cryoablation's application in musculoskeletal oncology, including sarcoma, bone metastases, and bone and soft tissue benign primary tumors, reporting on the success rate, recurrence rate, complications, and technical aspects to maximize success for cryoablation in the musculoskeletal system.

Minimally Invasive Interventional Procedures for Metastatic Bone Disease: A Comprehensive Review

Metastases are the main type of malignancy involving bone, which is the third most frequent site of metastatic carcinoma, after lung and liver. Skeletal-related events such as intractable pain, spinal cord compression, and pathologic fractures pose a serious burden on patients’ quality of life. For this reason, mini-invasive treatments for the management of bone metastases were developed with the goal of pain relief and functional status improvement. These techniques include embolization, thermal ablation, electrochemotherapy, cementoplasty, and MRI-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound. In order to achieve durable pain palliation and disease control, mini-invasive procedures are combined with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or analgesics. The purpose of this review is to summarize the recently published literature regarding interventional radiology procedures in the treatment of cancer patients with bone metastases, focusing on the efficacy, complications, local disease control and recurrence rate.