title: Effect of shape and severity of vertebral fractures on the outcomes of kyphoplasty.
abstract: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effect of shape and severity of osteoporotic vertebral fractures on the clinical and surgical outcomes of kyphoplasty. Ninety-four patients with single level vertebral fractures were enrolled. Fractures were divided into two types according to the shape of the fractured vertebrae: wedge type (n = 54) or biconcave type (n = 40). All fractures were further classified into 3 grades (grade 1-3) according to their severity. The Visual Analog Score for back pain improved significantly in the "wedge" and in the "biconcave" group: there was no significant difference between groups. Wedge type fractures had a significantly greater correction of anterior vertebral height and kyphotic angle than biconcave type fractures (p < 0.01). Biconcave type fractures had a significantly greater correction of the middle vertebral height (p < 0.01), but had a higher risk of intradiscal cement leakage (p = 0.03). Rates of cement leakage in grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 fractures were 12.8%, 25.8%, and 50.0%, respectively : there was a gradually higher risk of cement leakage as the severity of compression increased (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  assessing the shape and severity of fractured osteoporotic vertebrae gives an idea of the potential correction of body height and kyphosis, and of the risk of cement leakage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Ling Chen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Lin Feng
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Zi Kun
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Shang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001843:Bone Cements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058498:Kyphoplasty; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements