Vertebroplasty in multiple myeloma with osteolysis or fracture of the posterior vertebral wall. Usefulness of a delayed cement injection

Vesselplasty versus vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with posterior wall rupture

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to compare the effectiveness and safety of vesselplasty versus vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures with posterior wall rupture.

METHODS

Patients who underwent treatment of a single osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture with posterior wall rupture from January 2016 to February 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into a vesselplasty group (n = 17) and a vertebroplasty group (n = 43). Pain relief, radiographic outcomes, and bone cement leakage were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the operation time, postoperative pain relief, vertebral compression recovery, or local Cobb angle improvement between the two groups. However, the overall bone cement leakage rate (29.4% vs. 67.4%) and spinal canal leakage rate (0.0% vs. 30.2%) were significantly lower in the vesselplasty group than vertebroplasty group.

CONCLUSIONS

Vesselplasty offers similar pain relief and vertebral compression recovery but lower spinal canal leakage compared with vertebroplasty. Vesselplasty is thus a better option than vertebroplasty for patients with osteoporotic compression fractures with posterior wall rupture.

Vertebral augmentation

Vertebral augmentation, including vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure in which cement (typically polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)) is injected into a vertebral body to treat painful fractures. The majority of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures are performed to treat symptomatic osteoporotic compression fractures refractory to conservative medical therapy; however, there is also evidence to suggest the benefits of augmentation in patients with refractory pain in the acute compression setting. The primary goal of augmentation is decreasing pain and improving a patient's functional status. The secondary goal of augmentation is vertebral body stabilization. This chapter outlines the indications, contraindications, techniques, and literature behind vertebral augmentation.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty as treatment of malignant vertebral lesions: a systematic review and GRADE evaluation resulting in a Danish national clinical guideline

PURPOSE

To summarize the recommendations from the national clinical guideline published by the Danish Health Authority, regarding cemental augmentation as treatment for painful vertebral lesions, in patients with malignant disease.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary working group formulated recommendations based on the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Two of the questions were based on randomized studies and one on professional consensus. The guideline recommends cemental augmentation for painful vertebral lesions in patients with malignant diagnosis, either hematological or non-hematological. Fracture of the posterior wall is not a contradiction to cemental augmentation, but care should always be taken while injecting the cement, to decrease the risk of cemental leaks into the spinal canal.

CONCLUSION

The recommendations are based on low-to-moderate quality of evidence or professional consensus as well as patient preferences and positive and harmful effects of the intervention. The working group recommends more randomized studies on patients with different malignant diseases and painful vertebral lesions comparing percutaneous vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty and conservative treatment to confirm the conclusion in this guideline. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty as palliative treatment for cancer-related vertebral compression fractures: a systematic review

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and kyphoplasty (KP) are minimally invasive treatment options for vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) due to malignancy.

PURPOSE

To perform a systematic review evaluating the effectiveness and safety of vertebral augmentation for malignant VCFs.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review.

STUDY SAMPLE

Studies on PVP or KP for VCFs in patients with malignant spinal lesions.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS), and complications were extracted from eligible studies.

METHODS

Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, studies published between January 1, 2000 and January 3, 2018 were identified by combining the results of a report by Health Quality Ontario with an updated literature search.

RESULTS

The review identified two randomized controlled trials, 16 prospective studies, 44 retrospective studies, and 25 case series for a patient sample size of 3,426. At the earliest follow-up, pain improved from 7.48 to 3.00 with PVP, and from 7.05 to 2.96 with KP. ODI improved from 74.68 to 17.73 with PVP, and from 66.02 to 34.73 with KP. KPS improved from 66.99 to 80.28. Cement leakage was seen in 37.9% and 13.6% of patients treated with PVP and KP, respectively. Symptomatic complications (N = 43) were rare.

CONCLUSIONS

This review showed clinically relevant improvements in pain, ODI, and KPS in patients with VCFs due to malignancy treated with either PVP or KP. Cement leakage is common, but rarely symptomatic. Percutaneous vertebroplasty and KP are safe and effective palliative procedures for painful VCFs in patients with malignant spinal lesions.

Vertebral augmentation in patients with multiple myeloma: a pooled analysis of published case series

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Studies examining the efficacy of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in patients with vertebral fractures from multiple myeloma are limited. We sought to perform a systematic review of published case studies examining changes in pain, disability, and analgesic drug use in patients with multiple myeloma who have undergone vertebral augmentation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a pooled analysis of published case series of vertebral augmentation in patients with multiple myeloma. Twenty-three studies (9 kyphoplasty, 12 vertebroplasty, and 2 of both) with data on 923 patients were identified from a PubMed search. Quantitative outcome data included the Visual Analog Scale, the Brief Pain Inventory, the Short Form 36 Health Survey, and the Owestry Disability Index. Time periods were consolidated into 3: postoperatively ≤1 week, 1 week to 1 year, and ≥1 year. Change in analgesic use was also studied. Data were compared by using nonparametric tests and matched t tests for temporally linked data.

RESULTS

Patients achieved a decrease in pain across all consolidated time periods. Pain, as measured on a 10-point scale, decreased by 4.8 points up to 1 week, 4.6 points up to 1 year, and 4.4 points after a year (P < .001). Decrease in pain was apparent early after treatment and was sustained with time. Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty were equally effective in reducing pain scores because differences between procedures for each time period were insignificant (P < .9 for <1 week, P < 1.0 for ≤1 year, and P < .9 for >1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis demonstrates that vertebral augmentation is effective in patients with multiple myeloma.

Role of whole-body 64-slice multidetector computed tomography in treatment planning for multiple myeloma

PURPOSE

The authors evaluated the role of whole-body 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (WB-MDCT) in treatment planning for multiple myeloma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a prospective study of 28 consecutive patients with multiple myeloma (19 men, nine women; age range, 51-73 years; mean age, 60 years) who underwent WB-MDCT and conventional radiography (CR) of the skeleton. The images were interpreted for the presence of bony lesions, medullary lesions, fractures and extraosseous lesions. We evaluated any changes in treatment planning as a result of WB-MDCT findings.

RESULTS

WB-MDCT was superior to CR for detecting bony lesions (p=0.001), especially of the spine (p=0.001) and thoracic cage (p=0.006). WB-MDCT upstaged 14 patients, with a significant difference in staging (p=0.002) between WB-MDCT and CR. Medullary involvement either focal (n=6) or diffuse (n=3) had a positive correlation with the overall score (r=0.790) and stage (r=0.618) of disease. Spine fractures were better detected at WB-MDCT (n=4) than at CR (n=2). Extraosseous soft tissue lesions (n=7) were detected only at WB-MDCT. Findings detected at the WB-MDCT led to changes in the patient's treatment plan in 39% of cases. Upstaging of seven patients (25%) altered the medical treatment plan, and four of 28 (14%) patients required additional radiotherapy (7%) and vertebroplasty (7%).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that WB-MDCT has an impact on treatment planning and prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma, as it has high rate of detecting cortical and medullary bone lesions, spinal fracture and extraosseous lesions. This information may alter treatment planning in multiple myeloma due to disease upstaging and detection of spine fracture and extraosseous spinal lesions.

Percutaneous extraction of cement leakage after vertebroplasty under CT and fluoroscopy guidance: a new technique

PURPOSE

We report a new minimally invasive technique of extraction of cement leakage following percutaneous vertebroplasty in adults.

METHODS

Seven adult patients (five women, two men; mean age: 81 years) treated for vertebral compression fractures by percutaneous vertebroplasty had cement leakage into perivertebral soft tissues along the needle route. Immediately after vertebroplasty, the procedure of extraction was performed under computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy guidance: a Chiba needle was first inserted using the same route as the vertebroplasty until contact was obtained with the cement fragment. This needle was then used as a guide for an 11-gauge Trocar t'am (Thiebaud, France). After needle withdrawal, a 13-gauge endoscopy clamp was inserted through the cannula to extract the cement fragments. The whole procedure was performed under local anesthesia.

RESULTS

In each patient, all cement fragments were withdrawn within 10 min, without complication.

CONCLUSIONS

This report suggests that this CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous technique of extraction could reduce the rate of cement leakage-related complications.

Continuous multiple vertebral compression fractures in multiple myeloma patient

Multiple myeloma is a B-cell origin tumor characterized by hypercalcemia, osteolytic bony lesions, and pathologic fractures. Back pain is one of the most common presenting symptoms of multiple myeloma and about 60% of patients have vertebral involvement at the time of diagnosis7). Minimally invasive surgeries such as vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are effective to relieve pain and improve the quality of life when a compression fracture occurs in multiple myeloma patients. We report a case of continuous multiple compression fractures associated with multiple myeloma. We should check for the possibility of pathologic vertebral fractures resulting from multiple myeloma in non-osteoporotic compression fracture patients, and especially in cases of continuous fracture occurring in relatively non-elderly patients, even though a history of trauma may be present.

Bone disease in multiple myeloma and precursor disease: novel diagnostic approaches and implications on clinical management

The manifestations of bone involvement in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) can have devastating clinical effects and increase mortality. Recent studies demonstrate that patients with the precursor conditions smoldering MM (SMM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) show evidence of bone disease and increased risk of fractures. The understanding of the pathogenesis of bone disease in MM has expanded in recent years. The traditional skeletal survey will probably be replaced by newer and more sensitive imaging techniques, which may have a prognostic impact and change our definition of MGUS and SMM. Bisphosphonates are recommended to prevent skeletal events in patients with MM, and have also been studied in SMM and MGUS. This article summarizes the current knowledge of bone disease in plasma cell disorders, and discusses the current standard and future role of novel imaging techniques, as well as the evidence and current guidelines for bisphosphonates in MM, SMM and MGUS.