Purpose of the study: The goal of palliative surgical treatment of vertebral metastases is to avoid, stabilise, or improve neurological disorders and to relieve pain. We propose early treatment for fixation of threatening lesions and extensive release without resection for programmed surgery outside the emergency context.

Material and methods: From 2001 to 2005, eighty patients underwent scheduled surgery for threatening or symptomatic lesions. Mean age was 59 years (range 32–82). The primary tumour was: breast (n=35), lung (n=19), kidney (n=8), uterus (n=1), prostate (n=2), ENT (n=3), gastrointestinal (n=5), haematology (n=7). Sixty-six patients presented Frankel B to D neurological involvement. The Tokuhashi score was 8 on average (range 5–9) and the Karnofsky index 57% (range 30–70). Sixty-four patients had visceral metastases. On average 7 levels were instrumented (range 4 to 8). The procedure included laminectomy in all cases.

Results: Blood loss was 500 cc (300–2700) and operative time 110″ (65–110). Fifty-nine patients recovered one or more Frankel grade. Six patients (7%) developed a postoperative infection. The actuarial survival at one year was 78%; 95% for patients free of motor neurological involvement and 65% for the others. This difference was significant.

Discussion: Spinal metastases should be detected and treated before emergency care is required. At the present time this treatment is well programmed. Fixation without tumour resection enables prolonged survival and allows time for other treatments in a pluridisciplinary management scheme. Several therapeutic options are possible but converge towards improved quality of life.

Conclusion: Posterior tumour resection is not useful for palliative surgical management of vertebral metastases. We propose an active approach using a simple well-defined surgical procedure without waiting for development of a neurological emergency.

Purpose of the study: Treatment of calcaneal fractures is specific because of the fact that these fractures dis-organise the subtalar joint, requiring precise reduction. The clinical result is not always satisfactory considering the efforts made to obtain reduction and fixation. Functional treatment often gives acceptable clinical results, but leaves important anatomic and functional sequelae. We developed a technique for percutaneous balloon reduction and cementoplasty similar to the method used for vertebral fractures treated with the same material.

Material and methods: We describe four cases of thalamic fractures treated surgically in a semi-emergency setting. The patients were four women, mean age 39 years (range 26–55). Fractures included vertical compression fractures of the thalamic surface in all cases. The operation was performed under radiographic control in the operative theatre and included a phase for percutaneous reduction and a phase for cemented fixation, allowing a minimal incision and control in two planes.

Results: Operative time was 30 minutes and blood loss was negligible. Bone healing with maintenance of the subtalar reduction was achieved in all cases. The clinical result was remarkable, with sedation of the pain and oedema within hours and weight bearing within a few weeks. One patient developed a lateral submaleolar impingement which required infiltration at four months. All patients were totally pain free and had no radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis at two years.

Discussion: Percutaneous reduction cemented fixation is a new method for the treatment of thalamic fractures of the calcaneum. We demonstrated the feasibility in a small series; the procedure was simple and allowed effective treatment compared with the classical methods.

Conclusion: These excellent clinical results are encouraging for the development of the technique and incite us to propose this method as the first-line treatment for displaced thalamic fractures. We are working on the development of this concept.