Radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA)

The RFA is an effective alternative therapy, especially with osteolytic or mixed tumors of the bone and spine. By radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA), the active tumor mass thermally heated gently with temperatures around 70-80 ° C and are thus mostly destroyed irrevocably. The heat will shrink the tumor tissue, and thus the pressure to be in tumor tissue. In addition to a degradation effect on the skin, bone, this leads to pain reduction. Impending fractures as a result of instability or impending paraplegia due to tumor spread in the direction of the spinal canal can be stopped by the targeted RFA method or further tumor growth slowed dramatically.

Patients are usually in the prone position on the scanner table. After determining the coordinates of therapy and sterile covering, skin, muscles and possibly the bone and adjacent joints carefully anesthetized with local anesthesia. Is then perforated using a bone biopsy needle of the bones, and lying about the biopsy needle is the specific RFA probe in the center of osteolysis placed. After multiple control and ensure the correct probe position can be started with the thermal ablation. The RFA is usually in one to three cycles in 15 minutes. Subsequently, the probe is pulled out and it coagulates the branch canal, so that no Impfmetastasierung takes place.
If extra is needed vertebroplasty, patients are recalled for the following day vertebroplasty.