Balloon kyphoplasty for vertebra plana with or without osteonecrosis

Becker S, Tuschel A, Chavanne A, Meissner J, Ogon M
Spine Center, Orthopaedic Hospital Vienna-Speising, Vienna, Austria

PURPOSE. To compare efficacy of balloon kyphoplasty in restoring vertebral height and correcting kyphosis in patients having vertebra plana with or without osteonecrosis.

METHODS. 12 women and 3 men (mean age, 76 years), who had a complete vertebra plana with or without osteonecrosis (n=8 vs n=7), underwent balloon kyphoplasty. No external manoeuvres were performed before or during balloon kyphoplasty, except for positioning the patients in a prone posture on the operating table. The anterior, middle, and posterior vertebral height and the kyphotic angle were measured pre- and post-operatively with a digital imaging system. The vertebral height was measured as a percentage of the adjacent normal vertebral height.

RESULTS. Respectively in vertebra plana patients with or without osteonecrosis, the mean corrections of (1) kyphosis were 10 and 4 degrees (p=0.099), (2) anterior vertebral height were 33% and 5% (p<0.001), (3) middle vertebral height were 38% and 18% (p=0.004), and (4) posterior vertebral height were 19% and 2% (p=0.031).

CONCLUSION. In patients with vertebra plana, it is important to identify any osteonecrosis, which is an indication for balloon kyphoplasty to restore vertebral height and correct kyphosis.