Andrea Piazzolla1, Giuseppe Solarino2, Davide Bizzoca2, Claudia Parato2, Gaetano Monteleone2, Franca Dicuonzo2, Biagio Moretti2. 1. Orthopaedic, Trauma and Spine Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, School of Medicine, AOU Policlinico Consorziale, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70100, Bari, Italy. dott.piazzolla@gmail.com. 2. Orthopaedic, Trauma and Spine Unit, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, School of Medicine, AOU Policlinico Consorziale, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70100, Bari, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate if bone substitutes are strictly necessary to restore the vertebral body height and improve the clinical outcome, in patients with thoracolumbar or lumbar AO type A post-traumatic vertebral fractures, managed with balloon kyphoplasty combined with posterior screw and rod system. METHODS: 105 patients with post-traumatic thoracolumbar spine fracture were recruited. At baseline, the patients underwent a CT and an MRI of the spine. Clinical evaluation was performed, using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), at baseline, 48 h after surgery, at 3-month follow-up (FU), 6-month FU, 48 h after the instrumentation removal and at 24-month FU. At each FU, VK, regional kyphosis (RK), central wall (MH/PH) and anterior wall (AH/PH) heights were assessed on lateral spine X-rays. At 6-month FU, a CT scan of the spine was performed to investigate the fracture healing. The posterior instrumentation was removed 7 months after surgery (range 6-10 months). RESULTS: A significant reduction of mean VAS (p < 0.05) and ODI (p < 0.05) was observed after surgery; no impairment of these scores was observed after the instrumentation removal. A significant correction of VK, RK, AH/PH and MH/PH was recorded after surgery; no significant changes of these values were noticed at subsequent FU. After the instrumentation removal, only an RK impairment was recorded, but it was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: PMMA or bone substitutes are not necessary to keep the reduction of the endplate obtained with the balloon tamp, when BK is performed in the association with posterior percutaneous pedicle screws instrumentation. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
PURPOSE: To investigate if bone substitutes are strictly necessary to restore the vertebral body height and improve the clinical outcome, in patients with thoracolumbar or lumbar AO type A post-traumatic vertebral fractures, managed with balloon kyphoplasty combined with posterior screw and rod system. METHODS: 105 patients with post-traumatic thoracolumbar spine fracture were recruited. At baseline, the patients underwent a CT and an MRI of the spine. Clinical evaluation was performed, using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), at baseline, 48 h after surgery, at 3-month follow-up (FU), 6-month FU, 48 h after the instrumentation removal and at 24-month FU. At each FU, VK, regional kyphosis (RK), central wall (MH/PH) and anterior wall (AH/PH) heights were assessed on lateral spine X-rays. At 6-month FU, a CT scan of the spine was performed to investigate the fracture healing. The posterior instrumentation was removed 7 months after surgery (range 6-10 months). RESULTS: A significant reduction of mean VAS (p < 0.05) and ODI (p < 0.05) was observed after surgery; no impairment of these scores was observed after the instrumentation removal. A significant correction of VK, RK, AH/PH and MH/PH was recorded after surgery; no significant changes of these values were noticed at subsequent FU. After the instrumentation removal, only an RK impairment was recorded, but it was not significant. CONCLUSIONS:PMMA or bone substitutes are not necessary to keep the reduction of the endplate obtained with the balloon tamp, when BK is performed in the association with posterior percutaneous pedicle screws instrumentation. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.