Balloon Kyphoplasty for Osteoporosis: Technical Notes

BackgroundThere is no consensus on the treatment for spinal injuries resulting in thoracolumbar fractures without neurological impairment. Many trauma centers are opting for open surgery rather than a neurointerventional approach combining posterior percutaneous short fixation (PPSF) plus balloon kyphoplasty (BK).ObjectiveTo assess the safety and efficacy of PPSF+BK and to estimate the expected improvement by clarifying the factors that influence improvement.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent PPSF+BK for the treatment of single traumatic thoracolumbar fractures from 2007 to 2019. Kyphosis, loss of vertebral body height (VBH), clinical and functional outcomes including visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index were assessed. We examined the overall effects in all patients by constructing a linear statistical model, and then examined whether efficacy was dependent on the characteristics of the patients or the fractures.ResultsA total of 102 patients were included. No patient experienced neurological worsening or wound infections. The average rates of change were 74.4% (95% CI 72.6% to 76.1%) for kyphosis and 85.5% (95% CI 84.4% to 86.6%) for VBH (both p<0.0001). The kyphosis treatment was more effective on Magerl A3 and B2 fractures than on those classified as A2.3, as well as for fractures with slight posterior wall protrusion on the spinal canal. A higher postoperative visual analog scale score was predictive of poorer outcome at 1 year.ConclusionsThis is the largest series reported to date and confirms and validates this surgical treatment. All patients exhibited improved kyphosis and restoration of VBH. We advise opting for this technique rather than open surgery.

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A combined experimental and computational study of mechanical properties after balloon kyphoplasty

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part H Journal of Engineering in Medicine ◽

10.1177/09544119211013927 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 095441192110139

Author(s):

Philip Purcell ◽

Fiona McEvoy ◽

Stephen Tiernan ◽

Derek Sweeney ◽

Seamus Morris

Keyword(s):

Computational Models ◽

Computational Study ◽

Case Reports ◽

Experimental Tests ◽

Balloon Kyphoplasty ◽

Fatigue Tests ◽

Vertebral Compression Fractures ◽

Baseline Case ◽

Strength And Stiffness ◽

Stiffness Loss

Vertebral compression fractures rank among the most frequent injuries to the musculoskeletal system, with more than 1 million fractures per annum worldwide. The past decade has seen a considerable increase in the utilisation of surgical procedures such as balloon kyphoplasty to treat these injuries. While many kyphoplasty studies have examined the risk of damage to adjacent vertebra after treatment, recent case reports have also emerged to indicate the potential for the treated vertebra itself to re-collapse after surgery. The following study presents a combined experimental and computational study of balloon kyphoplasty which aims to establish a methodology capable of evaluating these cases of vertebral re-collapse. Results from both the experimental tests and computational models showed significant increases in strength and stiffness after treatment, by factors ranging from 1.44 to 1.93, respectively. Fatigue tests on treated specimens showed a 37% drop in the rate of stiffness loss compared to the untreated baseline case. Further analysis of the computational models concluded that inhibited PMMA interdigitation at the interface during kyphoplasty could reverse improvements in strength and stiffness that could otherwise be gained by the treatment.

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Radiological and clinical outcomes of balloon kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research ◽

10.1186/s13018-021-02573-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ji Guo ◽

Weifeng Zhai ◽

Licheng Wei ◽

Jianpo Zhang ◽

Lang Jin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Vertebral Fractures ◽

Vertebral Compression Fracture ◽

Compression Fracture ◽

Balloon Kyphoplasty ◽

Cement Leakage ◽

Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture ◽

Control Group ◽

Compression Rate ◽

Kyphotic Angle

Abstract Background This study was conducted to investigate the outcomes and complications of balloon kyphoplasty (KP) for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compare its radiological and clinical effects with OVCF patients without RA. Methods Ninety-eight patients in the RA group with 158 fractured vertebrae and 114 patients in the control group with 150 vertebrae were involved in this study. Changes in compression rate, local kyphotic angle, visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, conditions of bone cement leakage, refracture of the operated vertebrae, and new adjacent vertebral fractures were examined after KP. In addition, patients in the RA group were divided into different groups according to the value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), c-reactive protein (CRP), and whether they were glucocorticoid users or not to evaluate their influence on the outcomes of KP. Results KP procedure significantly improved the compression rate, local kyphotic angle, and VAS and ODI scores in both RA and control groups (p<0.05). Changes in compression rate and local kyphotic angle in the RA group were significantly larger than that in the control group (p<0.05), and patients with RA suffered more new adjacent vertebral fractures after KP. The outcomes and complications of KP from different ESR or CRP groups did not show significant differences. The incidence of cement leakage in RA patients with glucocorticoid use was significantly higher than those who did not take glucocorticoids. In addition, RA patients with glucocorticoid use suffered more intradiscal leakage and new adjacent vertebral fractures. Conclusions OVCF patients with RA obtained more improvement in compression rate and local kyphotic angle after KP when compared to those without RA, but they suffered more new adjacent vertebral fractures. Intradiscal leakage and new adjacent vertebral fractures occurred more in RA patients with glucocorticoid use. Trial registration Retrospectively registered.

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