Kyphoplasty effective in back fractures

Patients with balloon kyphoplasty showed more improvement in back function and back pain compared with those with non-surgical care, Scottish researchers say.

Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive treatment used worldwide to treat vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

Dr. Douglas Wardlaw, the spine surgeon who was the lead author, said the study of 300 patients at 21 centers in eight countries also determined that the benefits of balloon kyphoplasty were sustained on average throughout 12 months.

“This landmark study shows that balloon kyphoplasty is an effective treatment option for patients with acute, symptomatic vertebral fractures, Wardlaw said in a statement.

This minimally invasive procedure, which has been performed on more than 500,000 patients worldwide, has been demonstrated in this study to be superior to non-surgical management in restoring patients’ physical function, reducing their pain and improving their quality of life.

The findings are published online in The Lancet.