Percutaneous vertebroplasty in the management of XXXX : initial experience.

@entity4625 @entity1 @entity174 @entity170 @entity3814 @entity158
INTRODUCTION: @entity3814 related to @entity170 may cause persistent @entity158 which impairs mobility and reduces the quality of life. Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a therapeutic interventional radiology procedure which is used in the management of @entity158 relief in such @entity174 . It involves the injection of bone cement [polymethylmethacrylate ( @entity4625 )] into the collapsed vertebrae under radiological guidance. This provides @entity158 relief as well as increases the strength and stability of the vertebra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 16 @entity1 with 17 @entity3814 which were treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty over an 18-month period were studied. There were all @entity1 with the exception of 1 male @entity1 . Their ages ranged from 61 to 87 years. The @entity174 sites were at the thoracolumbar junction from T12 to L3 levels. The majority of cases only required a unipedicular injection, with bipedicular injections in 3 cases. All cases were performed in the angiographic suite in the radiology departments, with biplanar fluoroscopy in one hospital. @entity4625 was injected in a semi-solid state under radiological guidance and screening into the collapsed vertebrae. RESULTS: All cases showed good technical success with no mortality or major complications. Only 2 cases had minor complications of cement leakage into the soft tissues of the back and adjacent disc space, respectively. There was sufficient @entity158 relief in all @entity1 and they were well enough to be discharged within 1 to 5 days after the procedure. @entity1 were followed up to evaluate the degree of long-term @entity158 relief as well as analgesic usage. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a new and minimally-invasive modality of treating @entity158 in @entity1 with @entity3814 who are refractory to medical therapy. Under adequate imaging guidance, the risks of complications are minimal while the potential benefit to @entity1 and their care-givers are significant.
