title: [Reliving refractory pain of spinal metastasis patients with radiofrequency ablation through transforaminal endoscopy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the short-term outcomes of radiofrequency ablation treatment of bone metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2011 and November 2012, a total of 18 cases were retrospectively reviewed. They underwent resection of bone metastasis with radiofrequency ablation through transforaminal endoscopic spine system. According to the Tomita classification system, the classifications were type 5 (n = 8), type 6 (n = 4) and type 7 (n = 6). There were 8 males and 10 females with a median age of 52.1 (32-76) years. The primary lesions were breast cancer (n = 5), carcinoma of prostate (n = 3), digestive cancer (n = 4), thyroid carcinoma (n = 2)and lung cancer (n = 4). And two cases had pathologic fracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The operative duration was 118 (90-180) min and blood loss volume 30.6 (10-60) ml. All incisions achieved excellent healing.One case of pneumonia recovered with antibiotic. The postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were 2.4 ± 0.4, 2.6 ± 0.6, 3.0 ± 0.3 and 2.8 ± 0.7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiofrequency ablation through transforaminal endoscopy may be a safe and efficacious option for refractory pain with bone metastasis, especially for those with uncontrolled pain. This procedure is mini-invasive and causes less bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital, Guiyang Medical College, Guizhou Cancer Hospital, Guiyang 550002, China. Email: wangdong1058@medmail.com.cn.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Dai-guo
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies