We reviewed long-term
pain relief in four patients undergoing percutaneous
vertebroplasty (PVP) for lumbar or
back pain due to metastatic vertebral
tumors. The patients received anesthesiological
palliative care with
analgesics until their death after PVP.
Pain intensity, the presence or absence of recurrence of
pain, changes in dosage of
analgesics given before and after PVP, and complications associated with PVP were evaluated. A numerical rating scale (NRS) from 0 (no
pain) to 10 (worst
pain imaginable) was used to measure
pain. The patients were three men and one woman (mean age, 58 years). PVP was performed in five vertebrae (one thoracic and four lumbar). The NRS scores on moving before PVP were 10, 8, 10, and 10. After PVP, NRS decreased to 0, 3, 5, and 0, respectively, within 72 h. No recurrence of
pain in the treated area occurred until death in any of these patients. The dosages of
analgesics given were decreased in two cases, but no changes were made in the other two cases. There were no complications associated with PVP. Percutaneous vertebro-plasty is a safe and effective treatment for long-time
pain relief in patients with metastatic vertebral
tumors.