Outcomes of percutaneous kyphoplasty in patients with intravertebral vacuum cleft


Published online: Dec 27 2012

Ai Min WU, Wen Fei NI, Wei WENG, Yong Long CHI, Hua Zi XU, Xiang Yang WANG

From the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, ZheJiang, China

Abstract

An intravertebral vacuum cleft (IVC) is not an uncommon finding ; it is more likely to occur in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). There are scarce data on the treatment of these patients with percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty (PKP). Between August 2005 and March 2010, 35 single vertebral fracture patients with an IVC sign were treated by PKP. Visual Analogue Score (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Kyphotic Angulation (KA), and Compression Ratio (CR) improved significantly postoperatively (p < 0.05). These values were maintained at the one year follow-up. Balloon kyphoplasty leads less often to leakage (here in only 14.3% of the patients) than vertebroplasty (in 75% according to the literature). On the other hand, balloon kyphoplasty seems to predispose to intradiscal leakage : here in 3 out of 5 cases. This may cause a compression fracture of the adjacent vertebra.