Modified kyphoplasty with controllable balloon dilatation for treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

Purpose To investigate the surgical effects of modified kyphoplasty with controllable balloon dilatation for treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). Methods From April 2013 to October 2017, a total of 53 patients with thoracolumbar OVCF were treated with controllable balloon percutaneous kyphoplasty (C-PKP). Peri-operative parameters including days from injury to operation, operation time, injected cement volume, cement leakage and complications were collected. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Cobb angle before and after operation were applied to evaluate surgical effects. Moreover, a total of 53 cases treated with traditional balloon of percutaneous kyphoplasty were retrospectively analyzed and compared with C-PKP in above parameters. Results C-PKP achieved significant fewer events of cement leakage (type C) than that of traditional PKP (5/53 vs 13/53, p < 0.01). The patients were followed up for 10.8 +/- 4.2 months; VAS and Cobb angle of the injured vertebra in both two groups at three days and final follow-up were significantly improved compared with that before surgery (p < 0.05), while there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the VAS and Cobb angle at corresponding time points (p > 0.05). Conclusions C-PKP technology is a safe and efficient way for the treatment of thoracolumbar OVCF, and it can reduce cement leakage.