title: Transoral approach for percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteolytic tumor lesions of the lateral mass of the atlas: feasibility and initial experience in 2 patients.
abstract: METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report our early experience of percutaneous vertebro-plasty via a transoral approach of the lesions of the lateral mass of C1.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous vertebroplasty has gained acceptance for the treatment of osteolytic lesions of the spine. However, scant data are available on the percutaneous vertebroplasty of the C1 lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients (a 74-yr-old female and a 53-yr-old male) presenting respectively a metastasis of the left lateral mass of C1 from a pancreatic adenocarcinoma and a hemangioma of the left lateral mass of C1 underwent a percutaneous vertebroplasty via a transoral approach in a hybrid angio suite associating a monoplane flat panel and a computed tomography scan, using polymethylmetacrilate bone cement.For the second patient, a nondetachable balloon was used to protect the vertebral artery from cement leakage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Satisfactory filing of the lesions was obtained in both patients. No complication was recorded. Both patients experienced pain improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transoral approach for the treatment of osteolytic tumor lesions of the lateral mass of the atlas is feasible and seems to be a safe and effective technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris VI University, Paris, France. fredclare5@msn.com
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clarençon
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cormier
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pascal-Moussellard
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Maldent
authors.forename: Soizic
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pichon
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Le Jean
authors.forename: Léon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ikka
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiras
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000601:surgery*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000379:methods*