Percutaneous vertebroplasty for pain management in patients with multiple myeloma: is radiofrequency ablation necessary?

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the added role of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to vertebroplasty on the pain management of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

METHODS: Thirty-six patients (51-82 years) with vertebral localization of MM were randomly divided into two groups: 18 patients (group A) who underwent RFA and then vertebroplasty, and 18 patients (group B) who underwent only vertebroplasty. Primary endpoints were technical success and pain relief score rate measured by the visual analogue pain scores (VAS) and Roland-Morris Questionnaire (RMQ); secondary endpoint was the amount of administered analgesia. Survival and complications were compared.

RESULTS: Technical success was 100 % in both groups. The VAS score (at 24 h and 6 weeks postprocedure) decreased in equal manner for both groups from a mean of 9.1-3.4 and 2.0 for group A and from a mean of 9.3-3.0 and 2.3 for group B; RMQ mean score was 19.8 for group A and 19.9 for group B and decreased to a mean of 9.6 and 8.2 for group A and 9.5 and 8.7 for group B. The amount of medication was equally decreased in the two groups. No statistically significant difference was noted. No major complication occurred and two patients died from other causes.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of percutaneous vertebroplasty alone appears to be effective for the pain management of the patients with vertebral involvement of multiple myeloma. The use of RFA that includes cost and time does not offer any clear added benefit on the midterm pain management of such patients.