[The study of treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar multi-vertebral compressive fractures by kyphoplasty with one balloon].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of kyphoplasty in treating osteoporotic thoracolumbar multi-vertebral compressive fractures with one balloon.

METHODS

thirteen cases (37 vertebral bodies) of osteoporotic thoracolumbar multi-vertebral compressive fractures were treated. The patients were women, range 65 to 79 years old, and all with well intact posterior wall of vertebral body. 37 thoracolumbar vertebral bodies were treated by Kyphoplasty with one balloon under "C" armed imaging guiding.

RESULTS

All 13 patients tolerated well. The mean height of the anterior, media and posterior vertebral bodies was (1.9 +/- 0.5) cm, (1.5 +/- 0.5) cm, (2.6 +/- 0.5) cm preoperatively and (2.1 +/- 0.4) cm, (2.2 +/- 0.4) cm, (2.8 +/- 0.5) cm postoperatively (P < 0.001). The mean kyphosis was improved from (31.3 +/- 14.1) degrees to (24.8 +/- 11.3) degrees. There was not back pain and deformed correction was maintained well after 17.3 months' follow up, No complication occurred.

CONCLUSION

The balloon was not damaged, because the pressure was lower than usual pressure, the cost of patients was saved. In this study, we fulfilled small amount of cement in vertebral body which reduced the leakage of cement. Fracture of close vertebral body was also reduced because of lower stiffness and modulus of elasticity of adjacent vertebral body.