Clinical Analysis of Microwave Ablation Combined with Decompression and Pedicle Screw Fixation in the Treatment of Spinal Metastases

This study investigates a novel approach to treating spinal metastases, which are cancers that have spread to the spine, often causing pain and fractures. The researchers compared traditional surgery (decompression and pedicle screw fixation) with a combination of surgery and microwave ablation (MWA), a technique that uses heat to destroy tumor cells. The results suggest that adding MWA to the surgical procedure can improve pain control, prolong the time before the cancer progresses, and reduce blood loss during surgery.

• 1
  The MWA group exhibited reduced blood loss compared to the fixation group (p = 0.01).
• 2
  Patients in the MWA group reported lower VAS scores (less pain) at the 1- and 3-month follow-ups compared to the fixation group (p = 0.02; p = 0.006).
• 3
  The MWA group showed longer progression-free survival than the fixation group (p = 0.03).