title: [Current status of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in Germany: an analysis of surgical disciplines].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to provide an overview of the current practice of balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) and percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in Germany. All surgical departments were evaluated for indications, experience and expertise, and the complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were mailed to 1330 surgical departments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 582 (43.76%) surveys were returned; 257 departments perform neither BKP nor PVP. Osteoporotic compression fractures and to a lesser extent hemangiomas and metastasis were treated. About 30% of the BKP users consider traumatic vertebral fractures in young patients as an indication, 76% of the respondents perform further spinal surgery, and 71% of the users operate within the first 2 weeks. For both interventions cement leakage is the most common complication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nationwide kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are widely used by surgeons. The number of users as well as the annual number of cases in each center are increasing continuously. The partially incomplete present state of the studies must be validated by future high-quality, randomized studies.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Unfall-, Wiederherstellungs- und Handchirurgie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Universitätsklinikum Giessen und Marburg, Standort Marburg, Deutschland, akrueger@med.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hierholzer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oberkircher
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruchholtz
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D058498:Kyphoplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014194:Traumatology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*