Minimally invasive stabilization of vertebral compression fractures using balloon kyphoplasty.

AIM: Spinal trauma is a leading cause of destabilization of the vertebral column. Balloon kyphoplasty is one among several surgical treatment methods for restoring spinal stability. This series included 25 patients (10 [40%] males and 15 [60%] females) over the age of 50 years who had undergone balloon kyphoplasty for traumatic compression fracture and were retrospectively evaluated to determine the success of this technique in terms of restoration of spinal stabilization.

METHODS

Preoperative and postoperative direct radiographic images were obtained in all cases. Vertebral body height in the anterior, middle and posterior coronal planes were estimated from the radiographs.

RESULTS

The mean anterior vertebral body height in the coronal plane was 16.39±5.64 mm before and 23.17±5.93 mm after surgery. Compared with preoperative measurements, the restoration ratio was 43% in the anterior coronal plane, 35% in the mid-coronal plane, and 43% in the posterior coronal plane.

CONCLUSION

The study results suggest that balloon kyphoplasty may be used in the surgical treatment of vertebral compression fractures in selected cases.