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Updated: Mar 13, 2026
Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Abdominal Tumors
Published on: March 7, 2011
Percutaneous Image-Guided Cryoablation of Musculoskeletal Metastases: Pain Palliation and Local Tumor Control
Adam N Wallace1, Sebastian R McWilliams1, Sarah E Connolly1
1Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 510 South Kingshighway Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO 63110.
Purpose:
To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of cryoablation of musculoskeletal metastases in terms of achieving pain palliation and local tumor control.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective review was performed of 92 musculoskeletal metastases in 56 patients treated with percutaneous image-guided cryoablation. Mean age of the cohort was 53.9 y ± 15.1, and cohort included 48% (27/56) men. Median tumor volume was 13.0 cm3 (range, 0.5-577.2 cm3). Indications for treatment included pain palliation (41%; 38/92), local tumor control (15%; 14/92), or both (43%; 40/92). Concurrent cementoplasty was performed after 28% (26/92) of treatments.
Results:
In 78 tumors treated for pain palliation, median pain score before treatment was 8.0. Decreased median pain scores were reported 1 day (6.0; P < .001, n = 62), 1 week (5.0; P < .001, n = 70), 1 month (5.0; P < .001, n = 63), and 3 months (4.5; P = .01, n = 28) after treatment. The median pain score at 6-month follow-up was 7.5 (P = .33, n = 11). Radiographic local tumor control rates were 90% (37/41) at 3 months, 86% (32/37) at 6 months, and 79% (26/33) at 12 months after treatment. The procedural complication rate was 4.3% (4/92). The 3 major complications included 2 cases of hemothorax and 1 transient foot drop.
Conclusions:
Cryoablation is an effective treatment for palliating painful musculoskeletal metastases and achieving local tumor control.
