John Smirniotopoulos

Multicenter Prospective Clinical Series Evaluating Radiofrequency Ablation in the Treatment of Painful Spine Metastases

BackgroundRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) of vertebral body metastases (VBM) has been reported as safe and effective in retrospective studies. This single-arm prospective multicenter clinical study evaluates RFA in the treatment of painful VBM.MethodsFifty patients with VBM were prospectively enrolled during a 13-month period at eight US centers under an IRB-approved study. Percutaneous RFA was performed under imaging guidance with cement augmentation at the discretion of the operator. Pain, disability and quality of life were evaluated at baseline, prior to discharge, days 3, 7, 30 and 90 using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General 7 (FACT-G7) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Quality-of-Life Measurement in Patients with Bone Pain (FACT-BP). Adverse events were monitored throughout this time interval.ResultsTwenty-six male and 24 female patients (mean age 61.0) underwent 69 treatments (30 thoracic and 39 lumbar). Cement augmentation was performed in 96xa0% of reported levels. Significant improvement in mean scores for pain, disability and cancer-specific health-related quality of life from baseline to all time intervals was seen. NRPS improved from 5.9 to 2.1 (pxa0<xa00.0001). ODI improved from 52.9 to 37.0 (pxa0<xa00.08). FACT-G7 improved form 10.9 to 16.2 (pxa0=xa00.0001). FACT-BP improved from 22.6 to 38.9 (pxa0<xa00.001). No complications related to the procedure were reported.ConclusionRFA with cement augmentation safely and effectively reduces pain and disability rapidly, while increasing quality of life in patients suffering from vertebral body metastases.

Cost Analysis of Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) and Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

PurposeProstatic arterial embolization (PAE) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to TURP; however, there are limited cost comparisons reported. The purpose of this study was to compare in-hospital direct costs of elective PAE and TURP in a hospital setting.Materials and MethodsInstitutional Review Board-approved retrospective review was performed on patients undergoing PAE and TURP from January to December 2014. Inclusion criteria included male patients greater than 40xa0years of age who presented for ambulatory TURP or PAE with no history of prior surgical intervention for BPH. Direct costs were categorized into the following categories: nursing and operating room or interventional room staffing, operating room or interventional supply costs, anesthesia supplies, anesthesia staffing, hospital room cost, radiology, and laboratory costs. Additionally, length of stay was evaluated for both groups.ResultsThe mean patient age for the TURP (nxa0=xa086) and PAE (nxa0=xa070) cohorts was 71.3 and 64.4xa0years, respectively (pxa0<xa00.0001). Intra-procedural supplies for PAE were significantly more costly than TURP (

Robotic-Assisted Versus Manual Prostatic Arterial Embolization for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Comparative Analysis

1472.77 vs

Interventional Oncology: Keeping Out of Trouble in Ablation Techniques

1080.84, pxa0<xa00.0001). When including anesthesia supplies and nursing/staffing, costs were significantly more expensive for TURP than PAE (

Unexplained gastrointestinal bleed due to arteriobiliary fistula after percutaneous liver biopsy

2153.64 vs

Active Intrabronchial Hemorrhage

1667.10 pxa0<xa00.0001). The average length of stay for the TURP group was longer at 1.38 versus 0.125xa0days for the PAE group. Total in-hospital costs for the TURP group (

CT–Guided Cryoablation of a Substernal Mediastinal Ectopic Parathyroid Adenoma

5338.31, SD

4:03 PM Abstract No. 148 Periprocedural bleeding risk in the setting of chronic liver disease: assessment of interventional radiologists’ practice thresholds

3521.17) were significantly higher than for PAE (

Abstract No. 60 – Geniculate artery embolization for osteoarthritis-related knee pain: Preliminary results from a pilot experience

1678.14, SD

4:21 PMAbstract No. 60 - Geniculate artery embolization for osteoarthritis-related knee pain: Preliminary results from a pilot experience

442.0, pxa0<xa00.0001).ConclusionsWhen compared to TURP, PAE was associated with significantly lower direct in-hospital costs and shorter hospital stay.