title: Safety and effectiveness of sacroplasty: a large single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sacral insufficiency fractures are a common cause of severe low back pain and immobilization in patients with osteoporosis or cancer. Current practice guideline recommendations range from analgesia and physical therapy to resection with surgical fixation. We sought to assess the safety and effectiveness of sacroplasty, an emerging minimally invasive treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of institutional databases for percutaneous sacroplasty performed between January 2004 and September 2013. Demographic and procedural data and pre- and posttreatment Visual Analog Scale, Functional Mobility Scale, and Analgesic Scale scores were reviewed. Overall response was rated by using a 4-point scale (1, complete resolution of pain; 2, improvement of pain; 3, no change; 4, worsened pain) assessed at short-term follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients were included; most (83%) were female. Fracture etiology was cancer-related (55%), osteoporotic insufficiency (30%), and minor trauma (15%). No major complication or procedure-related morbidity occurred. There were statistically significant decreases in the Visual Analog Scale (P < .001), Functional Mobility Scale (P < .001), and Analgesic Scale scores (P < .01) in 27 patients with recorded data: pretreatment Visual Analog Scale (median [interquartile range], 9.0 [8.0-10.0]); Functional Mobility Scale, 3.0 (2.0-3.0); and Analgesic Scale scores, 3.0 (3.0-4.0) were reduced to 3.0 (0.0-5.8), 1.0 (0.25-2.8), and 3.0 (2.0-3.8) posttreatment. When we used the overall 4-point score at a mean of 27 days, 93% (n = 45) reported complete resolution or improvement in overall pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this single-center cohort, sacroplasty was a safe and effective procedure. There were significant short-term gains in pain relief, increased mobility, and decreased dependence on pain medication.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology (R.V.C.), Monash Health, and Department of Surgery, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Leslie-Mazwi
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Vanderboom
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rabinov
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larvie
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology (A.C.G., A.J.Y., T.M.L.-M., D.L.B., B.P.M., T.L.V., J.D.R., M.L., J.A.H.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts jahirsch@partners.org jahirsch@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hirsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012447:Sacrum / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome