Preoperative embolization in surgical treatment of spinal metastases: single-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial of efficacy in decreasing intraoperative blood loss.

45 patients with metastatic spinal cord compression undergoing decompression and instrumentation were randomized to receive angiography with or without preoperative embolization. The purpose of the study was to determine whether transcatheter arterial embolization of spinal metastases is able to effectively reduce blood loss, the need for transfusion, and surgery time. The results of the study indicated that embolization did not reduce intraoperative blood loss or allogeneic red blood cell transfusion, but reduced surgery time.