PERCUTANEOUS CT-GUIDED TREATMENT OF OSTEO IDOSTEOMAS - COMBINATION OFDRILL BIOPSY AND SUBSEQUENT ETHANOL INJECTION

Purpose: The purpose of this study was the clinical evaluation of a pe rcutaneous treatment modality in patients with an osteoidosteoma. Pati ents and methods: 6 patients with an osteoidosteoma of the upper (n = 1) and lower (n = 5) extremity which were confirmed on plain film radi ographs and computed tomography underwent CT controlled drill biopsy o f the nidus with subsequent injection of 96% ethanol into the biopsy c hannel to sclerose probably remaining remnants of the nidus. The proce dure was started under local anaesthesia, but drilling of the nidus wa s carried out under a short general anaesthesia using ketamine. Result s: The intervention was successful in all patients. No postinterventio nal infection occurred and no recurrence was observed in any of the pa tients in a follow-up time between 0.5 and 2 years. Conclusion: Althou gh only 6 patients were treated until now, we conclude that this combi ned procedure using a bone biopsy system and the subsequent injection of alcohol is a safe and successful procedure for percutaneous treatme nt of osteoidosteoma.