European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Kyphoplasty has become a standard procedure in the treatment of painful osteoporotic compression fractures. According to current guidelines, involvement of the posterior wall of the vertebral body is a relative contraindication. From February 2002 until January 2008, 97 patients with at least one AO classification A 3.1 fracture were treated by kyphoplasty. ⋯ All patients with cement extravasation, however, were clinically unremarkable. Using the visual analog scale, patients stated that prior to surgery their pain averaged 8.1, whereas after surgery it significantly decreased and averaged 1.6 (p < 0.001). In geriatric patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures with partial inclusion of the posterior wall of the vertebral body, kyphoplasty is an effective procedure with few complications.
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Patients with multisegmental degenerative disc disease (DDD) resistant to conservative therapy are typically treated with either fusion or non-fusion surgical techniques. The two techniques can be applied at adjacent levels using Dynesys (Zimmer GmbH, Winterthur, Switzerland) implants in a segment-by-segment treatment of multiple level DDD. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcome of patients treated using this segment-by-segment application of Dynesys in some levels as a non-fusion device and in other segments in combination with a PLIF as a fusion device. ⋯ Back pain improved from 7.3 +/- 1.7 to 3.4 +/- 2.7 (p < 0.000002), leg pain from 6.0 +/- 2.9 to 2.3 +/- 2.9 (p < 0.00006), and ODI from 51.6 +/- 13.2% to 28.7 +/- 18.0% (p < 0.00001). Screw loosening occurred in one of a total of 222 implanted screws (0.45%). The results indicate that segment-by-segment treatment with Dynesys in combination with interbody fusion is technically feasible, safe, and effective for the surgical treatment of multilevel DDD.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Bioceramic vertebral augmentation with a calcium sulphate/hydroxyapatite composite (Cerament SpineSupport): in vertebral compression fractures due to osteoporosis.
A prospective, non-randomized multicenter study was initiated to study efficacy and safety of a partly resorbable composite of calcium sulphate and hydroxyapatite (Cerament SpineSupport), a novel, injectable bioceramic, in osteoporotic patients with vertebral compression fractures during 18-month follow-up. Fifteen patients with low-energy trauma and 1-2 vertebral compression fractures verified by magnetic resonance imaging were recruited to undergo percutaneous bioceramic vertebral augmentation under fluoroscopy. The patients were treated with a highly flowable bioceramic containing calcium sulphate, hydroxyapatite and the non-ionic radiocontrast agent iohexol, with final setting time within 1 h. ⋯ There was a statistically significant improvement of physical components in the QoL assessment. No extra-vertebral leakage or neurological deficits were reported in this series. This first prospective multicenter study on a partly resorbable bioceramic material indicate that fracture healing can be achieved with sustained pain relief over a follow-up period of 18 months in an osteoporotic patient population with vertebral compression fractures.