Balloon kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fracture using a unilateral balloon tamp via a uni-pedicular approach: technical note.

OBJECTIVE

Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty, like percutaneous vertebroplasty is a therapeutic intervention for painful osteoporotic vertebral body compression fracture. The procedure involves placement of bilateral inflatable balloon tamps in the fractured vertebral body via a bilateral transpedicular or bilateral extra-pedicular approach. We describe performance of balloon kyphoplasty using a unilateral, single, balloon tamp via a unilateral transpedicular approach. The advantages of a unilateral approach are reducing the risk, albeit low, of pedicle fracture, medial transgression of the pedicle and/or transgression into the spinal canal, nerve injury, cement extravasation along the cannula tract, and spinal epidural hematoma. Additionally, operative and anesthesia time is reduced, as well as the costs of balloon tamps, cannulas, and needles.

CASE ILLUSTRATION

An 83-year-old woman with osteoporosis presented with severe lower thoracic back pain which occurred when she bent over to lift a heavy box. The pain was reproducible on palpation of the T-11 spinous process. A spine MRI with STIR (short tau inversion recovery) sequence demonstrated a subacute T-11 vertebral body compression fracture with associated edema. A T-11 balloon kyphoplasty was performed using a unilateral inflatable balloon tamp via a unilateral transpedicular approach. The patient reported immediate relief of pain and improvement of visual analog score (VAS) for pain from preoperative 10 to postoperative 2. She was able to ambulate postoperatively whereas preoperatively she was inhibited by pain.

CONCLUSION

Balloon kyphoplasty can be performed using a unilateral balloon tamp via a unilateral pedicular approach. The key is a medial needle trajectory with a final balloon position in the midline of the vertebral body.