title: Percutaneous vertebroplasty for thyroid cancer metastases to the spine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal metastases secondary to thyroid cancer of follicular and parafollicular cell origin are uncommon but may require stabilization of the compromised vertebrae to prevent fracture with spinal cord injury. Such treatment may also relieve pain and improve survival and quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) is a minimally invasive, radiologically guided procedure whereby bone cement is injected into a structurally weakened vertebra to provide immediate stability. The authors present two cases of thyroid cancer with spinal metastases. Both patients successfully underwent PV. Following PV, the patients experienced significant pain relief with immediate reduction in analgesic requirements and improvement in other symptoms. Both were able to return to their daily activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PV is a minimally invasive spinal procedure and should be considered for patients with metastatic thyroid cancer with spinal metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spinal Surgery, Institute of Neurosurgery AMS Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine. sergey.kushchayev@chw.edu
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kushchayev
authors.forename: Yevgeniya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kushchayeva
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Theodore
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Preul
authors.forename: Orlo H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018265:Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007593:Joint Instability; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D054854:Vertebroplasty
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes