Electrochemotherapy in Aggressive Hemangioma of the Spine: A Case Series and Narrative Literature Review

Abstract

(1) Background: this case series and literature review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electrochemotherapy in the management of aggressive spinal hemangiomas, presenting two distinct cases. (2) Methods: we present two cases of spinal aggressive hemangioma which were refractory to conventional treatments and underwent electrochemotherapy. Case 1 involves a 50-year-old female who presented with an aggressive spinal hemangioma of L1, who previously underwent various treatments including surgery, radio-chemotherapy, and arterial embolization. Case 2 describes a 16-year-old female with a T12 vertebral hemangioma, previously treated with surgery and stabilization, who faced limitations in treatment options due to her young age and the location of the hemangioma. (3) Results: in Case 1, electrochemotherapy with bleomycin was administered following the failure of previous treatments and resulted in the reduction of the lesion size and improvement in clinical symptoms. In Case 2, electrochemotherapy was chosen due to the risks associated with other treatments and was completed without any adverse events. Both cases demonstrated the potential of electrochemotherapy as a viable treatment option for spinal hemangiomas, especially in complex or recurrent cases. (4) Conclusions: electrochemotherapy with bleomycin is a promising treatment for aggressive spinal hemangiomas when conventional therapies are not feasible or have failed. Further research is needed to establish definitive protocols and long-term outcomes of electrochemotherapy in spinal hemangioma management.

Electrochemotherapy in Spine Metastases: A Case Series Focused on Technical Aspects, Surgical Strategies and Results

“…The intriguing mechanism of this technique is characterized by the temporary permeabilization of cell membranes of tumoral tissue that allow bleomycin to diffuse inside cells and increase its toxicity. It is also used in different settings such as benign tumors of the spine [11]. Several studies have reported the efficacy and feasibility of this technique in the treatment of bone metastasis [12], but papers about this topic focused on spine metastasis are sparse, and to date, a standardized protocol has not been described.…”