[Treatment of osteoid osteoma: percutaneous procedure in comparison with open surgery]

In recent years osteoid osteomas have been treated more frequently by means of percutaneous procedures. Several percutaneous techniques have been established. Our study presents the results which were obtained using a percutaneous drill system. In addition, a comparison between the results of the percutaneous procedure and the open surgical therapy is performed.

The retrospective study included patients with an osteoid osteoma who underwent percutaneous therapy or open surgery between 1992 and 2000. The following variables were addressed: age, gender, duration of complaints, localisation of the tumour, duration of hospital stay, size of the nidus, histology and recurrences.

Of the total of 22 patients with an osteoid osteoma, 10 (45 %) were treated percutaneously and 12 (55 %) surgically. With regard to age, gender, and duration of complaints, the two groups were similar. Six (60 %) of the percutaneously treated patients sustained at least one recurrence. On the other hand, only one patient (8 %) of the surgically treated group experienced a recurrence.

In comparison with recent studies presenting success rates in percutaneous treatment of osteoid osteomas between 77 and 100 percent, our own results are worse. One explanation for the low success rate might be the small drill size used.