Osteoma Osteoid Radiofrequency Ablation: Outcomes of a Referral Pediatric Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Computed tomography‐guided radiofrequency ablation remains the gold‐standard for the treatment of osteoid osteoma, however, treatment failures continue to be reported. This study intends to describe the results of using this technique in a pediatric age to treat osteoid osteoma, thus pro‐ moting its development.
Methods: This retrospective study included 18 patients diagnosed with symptomatic osteoid osteoma treated with radiofrequency ablation between December 2013 and March 2022. To assess the results, time required for pain reso‐ lution, complications and treatment failure of the procedure were recorded.
Results: The mean age was 11 years (3‐17) and the mean follow‐up time was 67 months (9.6‐101.3). The most fre‐ quently affected location was the femur (11 patients, 7 in the proximal region and 4 in the diaphysis). The mean size of the nidus was 7.4 mm (1‐15 mm) and the mean eccentricity index was 1.6 (1‐2.6). Using the visual analogue pain scale, 3 patients had moderate pain and 15 had severe to very severe pain before the procedure. After the procedure, only 1 patient maintained pain although with less intensity, representing a 5.6% rate of treatment failure (incomplete resolution). No recurrence was recorded. In terms of complications, a case of skin burn of about 2.5 cm was reported.
Conclusion: In this study, there was a high rate of treatment success (94.4%), however the sample was small. The use of radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of osteoid osteoma is a less invasive method than excision and with a high level of patient satisfaction.