Unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty for multi-level osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with single balloon

Objective To investigate the clinical therapeutic effect of unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for multi-level osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) with single balloon.Methods Twenty-five OVCF patients with a total of 60 vertebrae were treated by unilateral PKP with single balloon method.Post-operative pain relief and reduction of the fracture were observed,as well as the improvement of height of vertebral body and Cobb's angle were measured.Results All procedure were uneventful.The operation time was 30.4 min/vertebra in average,from 53 to 146 min.The balloon's expansion pressures were from 98 to 320 Psi with 183 Psi in average,expansion volume were 2-4.5 ml with 3.25 ml in average,expansion frequency were 2-6 times with 3.3 times in average.During the procedure,the balloon rupture occurred in 3 cases.The volume of cement injection were 2-5 ml,3.5 ml/vertebra in average.During the procedure,there were 2 cases with intraspinal leakage and 1 case with paraspinal leakage,which led to no obvious clinical symptoms at all.The VAS were decreased from 7.5 ± 1.0 preoperatively to 3.2 ± 0.7 postoperatively,vertebral body height and Cobb's angle were improved significantly (P 0.05).After 6-24 months' follow-up,all patients obtained steady maintenance of pain relief effects,and no surgical complication occurred.Conclusion Unilateral PKP with single balloon can be used to treat multi-level OVCF for its advantage of short operative time,low cost and satisfactory effects.