Treatment
Pain may be relieved by aspirin or other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.
Osteoid osteoma will resolve spontaneously in approximately 33 months, the reason for this is unknown. However, the tumor and the pain it causes has reportedly lasted consistently for 9 years in a rare case, until the tumor was discovered and removed, proving there's no limit to how long it can exist remaining at the same stage. The type of treatment may also vary based on the health of the individual with the tumor. If an individual is healthy and is willing to endure the pain, pain relievers are given until the tumor resolves. If the patient does not want to endure the pain or to be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, surgical or percutaneous ablation may be considered. If surgery is preferred, the individual may be referred to an orthopedic surgeon to perform the ablation. Post-surgery therapy and strengthening may be needed, depending on the tumor location and health of the individual. Recently, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation is the preferred treatment option. "This is a minimally invasive procedure in which radio frequencies are passed beneath the skin through a needle to kill the tumor cells by heating them to a high temperature." This technique is performed by a radiologist and is preferred because it is done under general anesthesia and does not weaken the bone as much as surgery does. The recovery time is also shorter for this treatment.
Ablation is performed in some cases.
Read more about this topic: Osteoid Osteoma
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