RT Journal
T1 Balloon Kyphoplasty Was Effective and Safe for Vertebral Compression Fractures Compared with Nonsurgical Care
JF The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
JO The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
YR 2009
FD November 1
VO 91
IS 11
SP 2747
OP 2747
DO 10.2106/JBJS.9111.ebo890
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.9111.ebo890
AB 
Patients: 300 patients who were =21 years of age (mean age, 73 y; 77% women) had 1 to 3 vertebral fractures from T5 through L5, with =1 fracture showing edema on magnetic resonance imaging and =1 showing a 15% loss of height, and a back pain score =4 on a scale of 0 to 10. Patients with up to 3 contiguous or noncontiguous fractures at any level were included if the additional fractures also had magnetic resonance imaging signal changes, progressive height loss, or pseudarthrosis. Exclusion criteria were chronic fracture, pedicle fracture, previous vertebroplasty, neurological deficit, radicular pain, spinal cord compression, canal narrowing, use of anticoagulants, contraindications to kyphoplasty or magnetic resonance imaging, dementia, inability to walk before the fracture, or fractures resulting from primary bone tumors, osteoblastic metastases, or high-energy trauma. Follow-up was 89% at 1 month, 84% at 3 months, 82% at 6 months, and <80% at 12 months.