gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Balloon kyphoplasty represents a new technique in the treatment of osteoporotic spinal fractures. Being rather expensive aside from medical aspects one has to consider economic deetails when choosing kyphoplasty.

Methods: N=22 patients showing osteoporotic spinal fractures were treated using kyphoplasty in our department. We collected demographic data as well as radiological and neurological findings (degree of fracturation) and reduction of pain. Intra-operative difficulties will be reported, too.

Results: N=13 patients displayed fracture of one vertebra, whereas n=8 of two and n=1 of four. Mostly affected was L1(n=11). In n=12 cases a trauma could be traced in history. After operation mean pain relief added up to 75% with a slight trend towards better outcome for patients being treated within 2-4 weeks after trauma. Only n=1 did not benefit at all. Intra-operative complictions consisted in rupture of the balloon (n=4) and in n=1 case cement entered the paraspinal area without causing any neurological deficits. The follow-up exames did not show any loss of vertebral height.

Conclusions: Despite the rather small group of patients some trends can be deduced: On the one hand one balloon kyphoplasty represents a rather low-risk form of treatment of osteoporotic fractures, on the other hand it certainly is expensive. Therefore, patients should be chosen carefully. Our data suggest that an early operation within 2-4 weeks may have better influence on outcome. MRI might be helpful to distinguish older from newer fractures.