Fluoroscopy and Cone-Beam CT-guided Fixation by Internal Cemented Screw for Pathologic Pelvic Fractures

Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of palliative treatment of patients with pathologic pelvic by using fluoroscopy and cone-beam CT needle guidance software to perform percutaneous fixation by internal cemented screw (FICS). Materials and Methods This single-center study involved retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive patients with cancer with pathologic pelvic fractures managed with percutaneous FICS. Image guidance was performed with fluoroscopy and cone-beam CT needle guidance software. Pain palliative outcomes and opioid use after FICS were compared by means of paired-sample t test. Results A total of 107 percutaneous FICS procedures were performed from 2010 to 2017 to palliate 141 pathologic fractures in 100 patients (mean age, 65.0 years ± 17.6 [standard deviation; female age, 66.3 years ± 18.0; mean, 63.7 years ± 17.2]). Of 107 procedures, 104 (97.2%) were technically successful, with mean postprocedure hospitalization of 2 days ± 3. Complications occurred in 14 patients: focal pain at procedure site for longer than 48 hours (n = 5), hematoma (n = 3), progressive fracture despite fixation (n = 2), infection (n = 1), tumor track seeding (n = 1), and screw displacement (n = 2). In the 88 patients who completed early follow-up, mean numeric rating scale pain score was significantly improved at 6 weeks from 6.1 ± 2.5 to 2.1 ± 3.0 (P < .001). Opioid use was reduced at 6 weeks (preprocedure vs postprocedure, 91.3 g ± 121 vs 64.6 g ± 124, respectively; P = .04). Conclusion Fluoroscopy and cone-beam CT-guided percutaneous fixation of pathologic pelvis fractures by internal cemented screw is a safe and effective approach that can reduce pain and opioid use. © RSNA, 2018.