Efficacy of Balloon Kyphoplasty in Compression Fractures of the Thoracolumbar Spine

Objective:  To study the Efficacy of Balloon Kyphoplasty in compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. Material and Methods:  This study was conducted on 95 patients with thoracolumbar wedge fractures from 2017 to 2022. Complete neurological examination and CT and MRI scans of the spine of all patients were done. All patients have been treated with a balloon kyphoplasty procedure. Data was collected on VAS score, SF-36 score, kyphotic angle and percentage of vertebral body destruction both preoperatively and post-operatively. Statistical analysis was done by using paired sample t-test. Results:  The mean age was 57 years. Males were 58.9% and females 41.0%. Osteoporosis was the cause of fracture in 90.5% and trauma in 9.4% of patients. VAS improved from 7.42 ± 1.24 to post-procedure 3.24 ± 1.51, P < 0.0001. SF-36 improved from 35.31 ± 17.4 to post-procedure 49.23 ± 19.2, P < 0.0001. Kyphosis angle restoration from 18.42 ± 7.41 to post-procedure 10.61 ± 6.32, P value < 0.0001. Percentage loss of vertebral height from 32.91% to postoperatively 17.64% (SD-17.2 and P < 0.0001). 10.5% of patients developed cement leakage and there is no leakage in 89.4%. The adjacent level fracture occurred in 4 patients. Conclusion:  Balloon Kyphoplasty is an effective procedure for thoracolumbar wedge fractures. It improves pain, activities of daily living, kyphosis angle improvement, and restoration of vertebral height.