CT-guided ozone mixture injection in treatment of symptomatic lumbar facet synovial cysts.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes, in terms of safety and efficacy, of a new treatment method for symptomatic lumbar facet synovial cysts (LFSC), based on ozone injection inside the cyst. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records and imaging studies of 77 patients who underwent CT-guided ozone treatment of symptomatic facet joint synovial cysts in our department over a 5-year span. Clinical outcome was assessed with Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) evaluations, obtained prior to the intervention and at 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-months follow-up. Follow-up MRI imaging at 6 and 12 months were obtained and confronted with the pre-procedural MRI to analyse cyst modification after the intervention. RESULTS: Ozone administration was technically successful in 100% of procedures; no immediate complications occurred. At 1 month evaluation, 92% of the patients referred partial or complete symptomatic response; 86% of patients at 3 months and 84% at 6 months confirmed symptoms improvement; final assessment, at 12 months after intervention, outlined overall significant clinical improvement in 81% of patients. During the 12 months of follow-up only 3 patients had a relapse of the cyst (at 6 months) that were retreated with a 100% success. CONCLUSIONS: CT-guided ozone therapy for symptomatic LFSC is a safe and innovative treatment option, with good clinical results at 12 months follow-up in a significative percentage of patients, thus reducing the need for invasive surgical interventions.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty in 1,253 levels: results and long-term effectiveness in a single centre.

Several authors claim that vertebroplasty (PVT) is a successful technique, but long-term effectiveness is still debated. Our goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of PVT in patients with symptomatic vertebral fractures that had not responded to conservative treatment. In our centre, 624 patients with 1,253 compression fractures were treated by PVT. Imaging studies, clinical visits and short- and long-term follow-up were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) testing of pain. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate pain response after PVT (paired two-tailed t-test) and to assess any differences in pain due to different lesions (ANOVA test). We found a statistically significant improvement in the patients' quality of life, particularly in pain (P < 0.001). The average VAS value pre-PVT was 8.0 +/- 2.5, which significantly dropped to 1.5 +/- 0.4 by 12 months. There were no significant differences in pain response between the groups of patients with different underlying disease. There was a low complication rate in our study. PVT should be considered the treatment of choice in vertebral fractures with refractory pain. With strict evaluation of the clinical indications and sub-specialised operators, long-term effectiveness is probable.

Nucleoplasty in the treatment of lumbar diskogenic back pain: one year follow-up.

PURPOSE: The spine is an important source of pain and disability, affecting two thirds of adults at some time in their lives. Treatment in these patients is mainly conservative medical management, based on medication, physical therapy, behavioral management, and psychotherapy, surgery being limited to elective cases with neurologic deficits. This study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous nucleoplasty in patients affected by painful diskal protrusions and contained herniations. METHODS: From February 2004 to October 2005, 72 patients (48 men, 24 women; mean age 48 years) affected by lumbar disk herniation were treated with nucleoplasty coblation. All patients were evaluated clinically and with radiography and MRI in order to confirm the presence of lumbalgic and/or sciatalgic pain, in the absence of major neurologic deficit and with lack of response after 6 weeks of conservative management. RESULTS: Average preprocedural pain level for all patients was 8.2 (on a visual analog scale of 1 to 10), while the average pain level at 12 months follow-up was 4.1. At the 1 year evaluation, 79% of patients demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in numeric pain scores (p < 0.01): 17% (12 patients) were completely satisfied with complete resolution of symptoms, and 62% (43 patients) obtained a good result. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that nucleoplasty coblation is a promising treatment option for patients with symptomatic disk protrusion and herniation who present with lumbalgic and/or sciatalgic pain, have failed conservative therapies, and are not considered candidates for open surgery.

MRI and bone scan imaging in the preoperative evaluation of painful vertebral fractures treated with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

BACKGROUND: This study compared the role and timing of bone scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), before treatment with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. To our knowledge, no prior articles have described, in osteoporotic and pathological vertebral fractures, the role of MRI and bone scintigraphy as pre-procedural work up in those patients candidated to undergo spinal interventional procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of thirty patients treated with interventional procedures for painful vertebral fractures at our institution between January 2002 and July 2003. RESULTS: In patients, selected after evaluation with MRI and bone scan imaging, both procedures demonstrated swift pain relief associated with vertebral resistance augmentation. CONCLUSION: MRI revealed itself to be equivalent to bone scan imaging in selecting patients to be treated with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in the first 3/4 months, while bone scintigraphy was more accurate in the evaluation of elderly fractures (> 3/4 months). MRI was superior to bone scintigraphy in vertebral collapses due to multiple myeloma.

Radiofrequency Heat Ablation and Vertebroplasty in the treatment of neoplastic vertebral body fractures.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic cancer is the most common malignant disease of the skeletal system. Traditionally, conventional fractionated external beam radiotherapy has been the treatment of choice. Recently, minimally invasive surgical techniques (MISS) have been added to the therapeutic armamentarium. The purpose of our study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of Radiofrequency Heat Ablation and Vertebroplasty in the treatment of neoplastic Vertebral Compressive Fractures (VCF). The aim of radiofrequency heat ablation is to destroy the tumor tissue before stabilizing the vertebra through the intrasomatic injection of cement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated patients with unremitting pain over spine, in absence of symptomatic spinal cord or roots compression and refractory to conventional therapeutic options such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery and use of analgesics. RESULTS: The method demonstrated swift pain relief associated with an evident augmentation in the weight-bearing resistance. CONCLUSION: The association of Radiofrequency Heat Ablation and Vertebroplasty is an effective, simple and safe treatment of vertebral collapse consequent to metastases.

Pyriformis muscle syndrome: CT/MR findings in the percutaneous therapy with botulinic toxin.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in pyriformis syndrome (PS) and the long-term outcomes of CT-guided percutaneous treatment with botulinum. PS is a cause of sciatica and disability. The pain is usually increased by muscular contraction, palpation or prolonged sitting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients suffering from PS, suspected on the basis of clinical and electrophysiological criteria and after imaging examinations had excluded other causes of sciatic pain, had positive lidocaine tests and were treated by intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) under CT guidance. MR sequences was performed in nine patients before treatment and after three months to evaluate the extent of muscle denervation. RESULTS: In 30 cases relief of symptoms was obtained after 5-7 days. In four patients insufficient pain relief warranted a second percutaneous treatment which proved clinically successful. No complications or side effects were recorded after BTX-A injection. The MR examination demonstrated a change in signal intensity of the muscle in seven patients due to denervation, whereas in the remaining two cases only atrophy was detected. Larger series are necessary to confirm these preliminary results. CONCLUSIONS: CT-guided BTX-A injection in the pyriformis muscle is an emergent and feasible technique that appears to yield excellent local therapeutic effects without the risk of imprecise injection.