Abstract
Vertebral compression fractures are very common. 250,000 are diagnosed annually in the United States with 80% due to osteoporosis1. Symptomatic relief with conservative therapy is often difficult to achieve. The consequence of significant pain is deterioration in quality of life and often in level of function. They independently increase mortality rate1.
Balloon kyphoplasty is a relatively new technique which stabilises the vertebral body and restores saggital spinal alignment. Excellent pain relief and improved functional outcome is reported2,3. We aim to confirm this.
All patients receiving balloon kyphoplasty treatment at Derby Hospitals NHS Trust from April 2006 to August 2010 were entered prospectively onto a database. Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for function were recorded. Technical data including number of levels, cement volume, screening time and kyphosis correction was recorded.
198 patients underwent balloon kyphoplasty between April 2006 and August 2010. Some data was incomplete. 105 patients had sufficient data for meaningful analysis. 170 levels were operated on in 105 patients. 65% (n=68) of patients were female and the average age was 74.
The average pre-operative visual analogue score (VAS) was 8.2. This decreased to 4.0 in the immediate postoperative period. This dramatic improvement remained and was 4.1 at 6 weeks, 3.3 at 6 months and 3.6 at 1 year. The average pre-operative Oswestry disability index (ODI) was 58. This improved to 47 in the immediate post-operative period. At 6 weeks this had improved further to 40 and further improvements were seen at 6 months (ODI 37) and 1 year (ODI 38).
Balloon kyphoplasty should be considered in all patients with ongoing pain following an acute vertebral compression fracture that doesn't respond to conservative treatment.
