Long-term results of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation therapy in patients with osteoid osteoma

Listen to Simon and Amy discuss the paper 'Long-term results of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation therapy in patients with osteoid osteoma' published in the October 2025 issue of Bone & Joint Open.

Click here to read the paper.

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome back to another episode of AI Talks with Bone & Joint from the publishers of Bone & Joint Open. Today we're discussing the paper 'Long-term results of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation therapy in patients with osteoid osteoma', published in October 2025 by F Ozel and colleagues. I'm Simon and I'm here with my co-host Amy.

Hello, everyone. Simon, this paper offers some rather compelling insights into the long-term efficacy of this therapy, doesn't it?

Indeed, the main aim of the research was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation in patients with osteoid osteoma, a benign but painful bone tumour.

The study span nearly 18 years from January 2005 to December 2022 and included 210 patients with an average follow up of about 103.7 months, which is over eight and a half years.

One point that stood out to me was the remarkable pain relief patients experienced. According to the study, the visual analog scale [00:01:00] pain scores dropped significantly from an average of 8.1 before the procedure to just 1.0 on the first day after the procedure, and 0.4 at the one-year mark.

Exactly, another significant aspect was the reduction in non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, NSAID usage. The average daily use of NSAIDs dropped from 2.1 doses before the procedure to nearly zero afterward. This highlights not only the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation and pain management, but also the reduction in potential side effects from prolonged NSAID usage.

It's fascinating to note that the overall recurrence rate was very low at 4.8%. Interestingly, all recurrences were observed in patients under 18 years of age. The study found that each year decrease in age was associated with a 1.2 fold increase in the risk of recurrence, emphasizing the necessity for extended follow-up in younger patients.

Yes, the authors suggest that patient and family education about the signs of recurrence is crucial, especially for younger [00:02:00] patients. Recurrence primarily occurred within the first year, and in cases where recurrence did happen, additional radiofrequency ablation treatments proved successful.

The study also reported no major complications during the treatment or recovery period. Minor issues like cellulitis, wound infections, and pruritus were noted in only 4.7% of patients, which were effectively managed.

That's quite reassuring. This study makes a strong case for CT-guided radiofrequency ablation as the gold standard for treating osteoid osteoma, given its high success rate, minimal complications, and significant improvement in patient quality of life.

Absolutely, and the ability to perform this procedure in anatomically challenging locations while reducing operating in hospital stay times is a huge advantage over traditional surgical methods. This makes it not only effective, but also cost efficient.

To wrap up, today we discussed a pivotal paper that reinforces the remarkable success of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation [00:03:00] therapy in treating osteoid osteoma. Key points include significant pain reduction, low recurrence rates, particularly notable in younger patients and minimal complications. It's clear that radiofrequency ablation not only provides rapid pain relief, but also represents a reliable and effective alternative to surgery. This research underscores the importance of monitoring younger patients for longer periods and educating them about the signs of recurrence.

It's a significant contribution to existing knowledge and practice in treating osteoid osteoma. Thank you all for tuning in to AI Talks with Bone & Joint. We hope you found today's episode both informative and engaging. Make sure to join us next time for more conversations about groundbreaking orthopaedic research.

I'm Simon and I'm Amy. Until next time, take care.