Percutaneous kyphoplasty versus posterior spinal fixation with vertebroplasty for treatment of Kümmell disease: A case-control study with minimal 2-year follow-up

Percutaneous Functional Spinal Unit Cementoplasty versus Posterior Spinal Fixation with Vertebroplasty for Symptomatic Chronic Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures: A Retrospective Study with a 2-Year Follow up

PURPOSE

To compare the clinical efficacy of percutaneous functional spinal unit cementoplasty (PFSUP) and posterior spinal fixation combined with vertebroplasty (PSF + VP) for the treatment of symptomatic chronic osteoporotic vertebral fractures (SCOVFs).

METHOD

Thirty-one patients with SCOVFs were included in this retrospective study and divided into PFSUP (n = 14) and PSF + VP (n = 17) groups. Visual analog scores (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were recorded before and after surgery and at the last follow-up. Besides, the local kyphosis angle (LKA) and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured. The operation duration, number of X-ray exposures, amount of blood loss, bed rest duration, hospitalization duration, and presence of complications were recorded.

RESULT

The VAS, ODI, LKA, and SVA after surgery and at the last follow-up were significantly improved in both groups compared to preoperative measurements. The PFSUP group experienced shorter operation duration (78.2 ± 13.1 vs. 124.7 ± 14.7, p < 0.001), less blood loss (31.1 ± 8.1 vs. 334.7 ± 70.9, p < 0.001), more X-ray exposures (92.1 ± 14.3 vs. 29.4 ± 5.5, p < 0.001), shorter bed rest duration (12.4 ± 3.8 vs. 43.4 ± 10.0, p < 0.001), shorter hospitalization (6.6 ± 2.4 vs. 10.9 ± 2.7, p < 0.001), lower complication rate (28.5% vs. 64.7%, p < 0.05), and higher cement leakage rate (42.9% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.05) than the PSF + VP group.

CONCLUSION

During the treatment of SCOVFs, the combination of PFSUP and PSF + VP can restore spinal stability, improve kyphosis, and relieve pain. PFSUP can reduce blood loss and complications, early mobilization, and shorten the hospital stay, but it is associated with a higher cement leakage rate and more radiation exposure.

Biomechanical evaluation of a novel minimally invasive pedicle bone cement screw applied to the treatment of Kümmel's disease in porcine vertebrae

Background and objective: Treatment of Kümmel's Disease (KD) with pure percutaneous kyphoplasty carries a greater likelihood of bone cement displacement due to hardened bone and defect of the peripheral cortex. In this study, we designed a novel minimally invasive pedicle bone cement screw and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this modified surgical instruments in porcine vertebrae. Methods: 18 mature porcine spine specimens were obtained and soaked in 10% formaldehyde solution for 24 h. 0.5000 mmol/L EDTA-Na2 solution was used to develop in vitro osteoporosis models of porcine vertebrae. They were all made with the bone deficiency at the anterior edge of L1. These specimens were randomly divided into 3 groups for different ways of treatment: Group A: pure percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) group; Group B: unilateral novel minimally invasive pedicle bone cement screw fixation combined with PKP group; Group C: bilateral novel minimally invasive pedicle bone cement screw fixation combined with PKP group. The MTS multi-degree of freedom simulation test system was used for biomechanical tests, including axial loading of 500 N pressure, range of motion (ROM) in flexion, extension, left/right lateral bending, and left/right axial rotation at 5 Nm, and the displacement of bone cement mass at maximum angles of 5° and 10°. Result: The three groups were well filled with bone cement, no leakage or displacement of bone cement was observed, and the height of the vertebrae was higher than pre-operation (p < 0.05). In the left/right axial rotation, the specimens were still significantly different (p < 0.05) from the intact specimens in terms of ROM after PKP. In other directions, ROM of all group had no significant difference (p < 0.05) and was close to the intact vertebrae. Compared with PKP group, the relative displacement of bone cement in groups B and C was smaller (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In the in vitro animal vertebral models, the treatment of KD with the placement of novel pedicle minimally invasive bone cement screw combined with PKP can effectively restore the vertebral height, improve the stability of the affected vertebra and prevent the displacement of bone cement. Biomechanically, there is no significant difference between bilateral and unilateral fixation.

Biomechanical analysis of a novel bone cement bridging screw system for the treatment of Kummell disease: a finite element analysis

When bone cement is used to strengthen the vertebrae in patients with Kummell disease (KD), loosening and displacement of cement are common complications that can cause poor results. We developed a bone cement bridging screw system to avoid this complication. This three-dimensional finite element study aims to analyze the biomechanical properties of the novel bridging screw system and compare it to single vertebroplasty and vertebroplasty combined with pediculoplasty. After the effective establishment of a KD three-dimensional finite element model, the stability of the bone cement in the five treatment methods was analyzed and compared on four aspects. According to the calculation results of the maximum von Mises stress of bone cement and the relative displacement ratio of bone cement, it was determined that the stability of the bone cement was significantly improved when combined with the bridging screw system or pediculoplasty. In addition, according to the calculation results of the maximum von Mises stress of the inferior endplate of T12 and the displacement load ratio of the bone cement, we further found that after using the bridging screw system, the bone cement in the vertebral body has the best stability, and the risk of bone cement loosening or displacement is the lowest. In conclusion, for treating KD with bone cement augmentation, the bone cement bridging screw system combined with vertebroplasty has better stability and safety than ordinary single vertebroplasty and vertebroplasty combined with pediculoplasty. This treatment approach has the most robust ability to avoid loosening and displacement of bone cement.

The Use of Three-Column Enhanced Percutaneous Vertebroplasty to Treat Kummell's Disease

Purpose

To describe the operative technique and clinical effects of three-column enhanced percutaneous vertebroplasty used to treat Kummell’s disease.

Methods

From April 2017 to April 2020, 39 patients with Kummell’s disease were treated via three-column enhanced percutaneous vertebroplasty. There were 12 males and 27 females of average age 70.23 ± 7.41 years. The operative time, volume of bone cement injected, and intraoperative cement leakage were recorded. The patients were re-examined postoperatively. The VAS was used to evaluate low back pain and the ODI score to evaluate improvement in the quality-of-life.

Results

All patients were successfully operated upon; the average operation time was 35.1±4.7 min and average volume of bone cement injected 4.5±0.92 mL. Five cases exhibited bone cement leakage during operation, two into the intervertebral disc and three into the anterior upper margin of the vertebral body. No leakage into the vertebral canal occurred. The average hospital stay was 2.50±0.86 days. The VAS score before operation was 7.47±0.24, but low back pain symptoms were significantly relieved after operation (P < 0.05). The VAS scores at 1 day and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after operation were 2.91±0.09, 2.04±0.07, 1.59±0.05, 1.28±0.15, and 0.8±0.18, respectively. The preoperative ODI score was 72.97±1.45 and significantly decreased postoperatively (P < 0.05), being 30.08±1.79 at 1 day, and 25.35±0.94, 23.19±1.76, 20.49±0.65, and 20.05±0.58 at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after operation respectively.

Conclusion

Three-column enhanced percutaneous vertebroplasty effectively treats Kummell’s disease. The surgical trauma is low, recovery rapid, and bone cement fixation firm, especially in patients with stage I and II disease.

Vertebral augmentation plus short-segment fixation versus vertebral augmentation alone in Kümmell's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine can progress to Kümmell's disease, an avascular vertebral osteonecrosis. Vertebral augmentation (VA)-vertebroplasty and/or kyphoplasty-is the main treatment modality, but additional short-segment fixation (SSF) has been recommended concomitant to VA. The aim is to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of VA + SSF versus VA alone. Systematic review, including comparative articles in Kümmell's disease, was performed. This study assessed the following outcome measurements: visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), anterior vertebral height (AVH), local kyphotic angle (LKA), operative time, blood loss, length of stay, and cement leakage. Six retrospective studies were included, with 126 patients in the VA + SSF group and 152 in VA alone. Pooled analysis showed the following: VAS, non-significant difference favoring VA + SSF: MD -0.61, 95% CI (-1.44, 0.23), I² 91%, p = 0.15; ODI, non-significant difference favoring VA + SSF: MD -9.85, 95% CI (-19.63, -0.07), I² 96%, p = 0.05; AVH, VA + SSF had a non-significant difference over VA alone: MD -3.21 mm, 95% CI (-7.55, 1.14), I² 92%, p = 0.15; LKA, non-significant difference favoring VA + SSF: MD -0.85°, 95% CI (-5.10, 3.40), I² 95%, p = 0.70. There were higher operative time, blood loss, and hospital length of stay for VA + SSF (p < 0.05), but with lower cement leakage (p < 0.05). VA + SFF and VA alone are effective treatment modalities in Kümmell's disease. VA + SSF may provide superior long-term results in clinical and radiological outcomes but required a longer length of stay.

A novel bone cement screw system combined with vertebroplasty for the treatment of Kummell disease with bone deficiency at the vertebral anterior border: A minimum 3-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

When vertebroplasty is used to treat Kummell disease with bone deficiency at the vertebral anterior border, bone cement displacement often occurs intraoperatively or postoperatively. We designed and used a new bone cement screw system to avoid this serious complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this novel operation method through more than 3 years of follow-up.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 2014 to August 2016, 27 patients suffering from single-segment Kummell disease with bone deficiency at the vertebral anterior border were treated by vertebroplasty combined with a novel bone cement screw. Bone cement was released into the diseased vertebrae through the screw to fully fill the intravertebral vacuum cleft. Screw fixation of bone cement can avoid intraoperatively or postoperatively displacement. All patients received surgery involving a unilateral technique, and only one screw was implanted in each patient. The clinical efficacy was evaluated using Odom's criteria and statistical analysis of the vertebral body index (VBI), vertebral body angle (VBA), bisegmental Cobb angle (BCA), visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and the results of the MOS 36-item short form health survey (SF-36).

RESULTS

The operation was completed successfully in 27 cases. The average operation time was 49.63 ± 10.82 min, and the average volume of cement injected was 4.70 ± 0.87 mL. The patients' preoperative VBI, VBA, BCA, VAS and ODI scores were 43.11 ± 5.94, 21.04 ± 2.55, 45.00 ± 6.26, 7.59 ± 0.84, and 79.85 ± 7.58, respectively. The postoperative measurements were 78.70 ± 2.55, 12.70 ± 2.11, 26.11 ± 4.73, 3.22 ± 0.93 and 50.04 ± 9.28, respectively. At the last follow-up, the measurements were 78.04 ± 2.30, 13.15 ± 2.38, 27.07 ± 4.87, 2.04 ± 0.65, and 22.85 ± 5.06, respectively. There was a significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative data, as well as the preoperative and the last follow-up data (P < 0.05). Comparing the results of SF-36 before operation and at the last follow-up revealed significant differences in physical function, role-physical, body pain, vitality, and social function (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in general health, emotional function and mental health. Finally, 26 patients (96.3 %) had good to excellent clinical outcomes according to Odom's criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

This 3-year follow-up study shows that the novel bone cement screw system combined with vertebroplasty has a good short and medium-term therapeutic effect in patients with Kummell disease and bone deficiency at the vertebral anterior border, while its long-term efficacy is subject to further studies.

Comparison of the clinical outcomes of percutaneous vertebroplasty vs. kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic Kümmell's disease:a prospective cohort study

Background

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) are widely used in the treatment of Kümmell’s disease. The purpose of this article is to investigate the clinical efficacy of PVP and PKP for Kümmell’s disease.

Methods

The clinical data that 56 cases of Kümmell’s disease treated with either PVP (28 cases) or PKP (28 cases) from December 2015 to December 2017 were prospectively analyzed. Gender, age, course of disease, injury segment, bone mineral density (BMD), visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), imaging measurement indexes before surgery between the two groups showed no significant difference (all P > 0.05). The bone cement leakage rate, bone cement injection amount, operation time, VAS, ODI, the rate of vertebral compression, correction rate of kyphosis and refracture rate of adjacent vertebra in 2 years were compared between the two groups to calculate clinical efficacy.

Results

The two groups were followed up for 24–48 months. There was no significant difference in the follow-up time, amount of bone cement injected, incidence of bone cement leakage and refracture rate of adjacent vertebrae between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and fluoroscopy times of the PVP group were significantly lower than those of the PKP group (all P = 0.000). VAS score and ODI of the two groups were significantly lower at 1 day, 1 year and 2 years after surgery than before surgery (all P < 0.05), but there was not statistically significant difference between the two groups at each time point after surgery (all P > 0.05). The rate of vertebral compression and kyphosis correction in the two groups were significantly corrected (P < 0.05, respectively) and decreased significantly with time (all P < 0.05), But there was not significant difference between the two groups at any time point (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Both PVP and PKP can achieve similar effects in the treatment of Kümmell’s disease. Because the cost, operation time, blood loss, radiation exposure and surgical procedure of PVP are less than those of PKP, PVP has more clinical priority value.

Analysis of percutaneous kyphoplasty or short-segmental fixation combined with vertebroplasty in the treatment of Kummell disease

Background

In recent years, short segment internal fixation combined with vertebroplasty (SSF + VP) has provided a new option for the treatment of Kummell disease (KD). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and SSF + VP, to provide evidence-based medical support for the decision-making process when treating KD patients without neurological deficits.

Methods

Databases including MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE (Ovid) (1947 to April 6, 2019) were searched for PKP and short-segmental fixation combined with vertebroplasty (SSF + VP) to treat Kummell disease in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies. Two investigators independently evaluated the eligibility of the studies retrieved from the databases based on the predetermined selection criteria. The postoperative evaluation indexes included operation time, bleeding volume, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, local vertebral Cobb angle, and cement leakage. When the data were significant, a random-effects model was used for analysis. In contrast, when the results showed no statistical heterogeneity, a fixed-effects model was used to estimate the overall effect sizes.

Results

Three retrospective case-control studies were included in the final analysis. The differences in the bleeding volume and operation time were statistically significant, and the combined weighted mean differences (WMDs) (95% CI) were − 0.204.46 (− 210.97, − 197.93) and − 98.98 (− 141.63, 56.32), respectively.

The combined data showed that the differences in VAS score, ODI score, local vertebral Cobb angle, and cement leakage were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

This analysis demonstrates that the PKP and SSF + VP methods are safe and effective in treating Kummell disease patients without neurological symptoms. However, PKP can shorten the operation time and reduce the volume of blood loss.