Cryoablation of Osteoid Osteoma in the Pediatric and Adolescent Population

Purpose: To evaluate the technical feasibility and clinical efficacy of osteoid osteoma (OO) cryoablation in a large, pediatric/adolescent cohort.

Materials and methods: An electronic medical record and imaging archive review was performed to identify all cryoablations performed for OOs between 2011 and 2015 at a single tertiary care pediatric hospital. The subsequent analysis included 29 patients with suspected OOs treated by cryoablation (age range, 3-18 y; mean age, 11.3 y; 17 boys; 12 girls). Conventional CT guidance was used in 22 procedures; cone-beam CT guidance was used in 7 procedures. Follow-up data were obtained via a standardized telephone questionnaire (23/29 patients; 79.3%) and clinical notes (5/29 patients; 17.2%). One patient was lost to follow-up.

Results: Technical success was achieved in 100% of patients (29/29). Immediate clinical success (cessation of pain and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug [NSAID] use within 1 mo after the procedure) was achieved in 27/28 patients (96.4%). Short-term clinical success (cessation of pain and NSAID use for > 3 mo after the procedure) was achieved in 24/25 patients (96%). Long-term clinical success (cessation of pain and NSAID use for > 12 mo after the procedure) was achieved in 19/21 patients (90.5%). Median pain scale score before the procedure was 10 (range, 5-10); median pain scale score after the procedure was 0 (range, 0-8; P < .0001). There were 6 minor complications (21%) and no major complications.

Conclusion: Image-guided cryoablation is a technically feasible, clinically efficacious therapeutic option for children and adolescents with symptomatic OO.