title: Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) constitute a major health care problem, not only because of their high incidence but also because of their direct and indirect negative impacts on both patients' health-related quality of life and costs to the health care system. Two minimally invasive surgical approaches were developed for the management of symptomatic VCFs: balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of symptomatic VCFs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 2011 and June 2012, one hundred and eighty-seven patients with two hundred and fifty-one vertebras received balloon kyphoplasty in our hospital. There were sixty-five male and one hundred and twenty-two female patients with an average age of 74.5 (range, 61 to 95 years). The pain symptoms and quality of life, were measured before operation and at one day, three months, six months and one year following kyphoplasty. Radiographic data including restoration of kyphotic angle, anterior vertebral height, and any leakage of cement were defined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean visual analog pain scale decreased from a preoperative value of 7.7 to 2.2 at one day (p < .05) following operation and the Oswestry Disability Index improved from 56.8 to 18.3 (p < .05). The kyphotic angle improved from a mean of 14.4° before surgery to 6.7° at one day after surgery (p < .05). The mean anterior vertebral height increased significantly from 52% before surgery to 74.5% at one day after surgery (p < .05) and 70.2% at one year follow-up. Minor cement extravasations were observed in twenty-nine out of two hundred and fifty-one procedures, including six leakage via basivertebral vein, three leakage via segmental vein and twenty leakage through a cortical defect. None of the leakages were associated with any clinical consequences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Balloon kyphoplasty not only rapidly reduced pain and disability but also restored sagittal alignment in our patients at one-year follow-up. The treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with balloon kyphoplasty is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive procedure that provides satisfactory clinical results.
authors.forename: Chia-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ming-Kai
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital & Chang Gung University, 5, Fu-Hsin Street, Kweishan Shiang, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan. lhchen2132@adm.cgmh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Lih-Huei
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chi-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Tsai-Sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Po-Liang
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Wen-Jer
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Chien
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Meng-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001843:Bone Cements; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D058498:Kyphoplasty / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements