Introduction
To evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous image-guided vertebral body stenting (VBS) at restoring vertebral height in acute, stable, traumatic thoracolumbar fractures in a young, non-osteoporotic population.
Materials and Methods
A single-centre retrospective review of all traumatic non-osteoporotic fractures treated with VBS between 2010 and 2017 was performed. Inclusion criteria included patients with recent (< 10 days), symptomatic and stable thoracolumbar compression fractures. Patients with low-energy fractures, osteoporosis and age > 60/50 years (male/female) were excluded. Primary outcomes included: correction of vertebral height, correction of kyphosis angle and Beck Index on reconstructed pre- and post-procedural CBCT images. Secondary outcomes included intra-procedural stent recoil, complications, cement leakage and factors predicting height restoration.
Results
Thirty-nine patients (26 men, 13 women; mean age 33.6 years, range 15–57 years) underwent VBS 5 days post-trauma on average (range 1–10), for stable compression fractures located between T5 and L5. Mean vertebral height gain, vertebral kyphosis angle correction and Beck index improvement were 3.8 mm (95% CI 3.36–4.50; P(> 3 mm) = 99.9%), 4.3° (95% CI 3.50–5.20; P(> 3°) = 99.9%) and 0.07 [95% CI 0.053–0.11], respectively (all statistically significant). Technical success was 92%, with 3 “major” stent recoils resulting in loss of vertebral height correction. No symptomatic complications were observed. No predictive factors for procedural success were identified.
Conclusion
VBS can significantly restore vertebral height in young patients with traumatic vertebral compression fractures.