HOW OSTEOCOOLTM WORKS
Medtronic OsteoCool™ RF ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that allows your doctor to deliver ablation energy to the precise size and location of your tumor. It uses alternating, low power current to generate heat during the procedure. The heat is delivered by a probe to the tumor to intentionally dry out and kill cancerous cells.
WHAT TO EXPECT during treatment
- Before the procedure, your doctor will take an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI to identify the exact location of your pain
- Your doctor will decide if local, moderate, or general sedation is the right option for you.
- Your doctor will make one or two small incisions in your skin, about 1cm long, near the location of the tumor. Sizing tools are used to create small pathways in the bone for the RF ablation probes.
- The RF ablation probes are inserted and the OsteoCool™ system is turned on. Energy is emitted for 6.5 to 15 minutes per affected area to dry out and kill cancerous cells.
- If the tumor is located in your spine and you also have a vertebral compression fracture, you may have a vertebral-stabilizing procedure, called vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. This procedure can be done at the same time your tumor is treated, using the same incision points.
UNDERSTAND THE RISKS
Remember to always talk to your doctor about the benefits and potential complications and risks for any procedure. Damage to surrounding tissue may occur. If you have a tumor in the cervical spine (neck), this therapy is not appropriate for you.
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