Radiofrequency (RF) Ablation FAQ
Metastatic spinal tumors are neoplasms located in the vertebrae that are most commonly associated with multiple myeloma and primary cancers of the breast, lung, and prostate.
Symptoms can include weakened or fractured vertebrae that can cause mild to severe pain, numbness, or paralysis. The onset of symptoms may be mild but increase rapidly.
A minimally invasive procedure using RF ablation allows a physician to reduce the size of metastatic spinal tumors in a single treatment, thereby providing a patient acute pain relief following the procedure. The STAR™ Tumor Ablation System brings this therapeutic option to metastatic spinal tumors that have historically been difficult to access and treat using a minimally invasive approach.
As with most surgical procedures, serious adverse events can occur. Although the STAR Tumor Ablation System is designed to minimize these risks as much as possible, potential serious adverse events that can occur include:
- Nerve injury leading to radiculopathy, paresis, or paralysis
- Damage to surrounding tissue through iatrogenic injury
- Hemothorax or pneumothorax
- Unintended puncture wounds
- Pulmonary embolism
- Hemorrhage
- Hematoma
- Infection
- Pain
The entire procedure routinely takes less than 90 minutes.
Recovery times for a minimally invasive procedure, such as RF ablation with the STAR Tumor Ablation System, are measured in hours and days, rather than weeks or months. However, recovery time for each patient will vary. As you monitor each patient, you can help him or her determine when he or she can return to normal activities.