Objectives: In long bones, cementoplasty alone does not provide sufficient stability, which may cause secondary fractures. This study reviewed the safety and efficacy of reinforced cementoplasty (RC) (percutaneous internal fixation using dedicated spindles combined with cementoplasty) for unstable malignant lesions of the cervicotrochanteric region (CTR) of the proximal femur.
Methods: Eighteen consecutive patients (nine women [50%] and nine men [50%]; mean age 55.1 ± 16.2 years; range 22-85) underwent RC for 19 unstable lesions of the CTR (16/19 [84.2%] bone metastases, 3/19 [15.8%] multiple myeloma lesions). All the patients were considered unsuitable for surgery. Clinical outcome was judged with a mean follow-up of 8.8 ± 7.2 months (range 1-27). The primary endpoints were occurrence of secondary fractures during the follow-up period and local pain relief measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results: No secondary fracture occurred. Mean VAS improved from 5.9 ± 3.1 (range 0-10) to 2.3 ± 2.4 (range 0-7) at 1 month (p = 0.001) to 1.6 ± 1.7 (range 0-5) at final follow-up (p = 0.0002). One symptomatic cement pulmonary embolism was recorded.
Conclusion: RC is an original minimally invasive technique providing pain relief and effective bone stability for unstable malignant lesions of the cervicotrochanteric region in patients unsuitable for open surgery.
Key points: • Reinforced cementoplasty (RC) combines intralesional spindling with cementoplasty. • RC provides effective bone stability and pain relief. • RC is a suitable minimally invasive option for patients in poor general condition.
Keywords: Femoral neck; Metastasis; Osteosynthesis; Percutaneous; Reinforced cementoplasty.