Two-year results of vertebral body stenting for the treatment of traumatic incomplete burst fractures.

Purpose: Vertebral body stenting (VBS) was developed to prevent loss of reduction after balloon deflation during kyphoplasty. The aim of this study is the radiological and clinical mid-term evaluation of traumatic incomplete burst fractures treated by vertebral body stenting.

Material And Methods: This retrospective study included patients with traumatic thoracolumbar incomplete burst fractures treated with VBS between 2009 and 2010. The outcome was evaluated with the visual analogue pain scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Score (ODI), the SF-36 Health Survey and radiologically assessed.

Results: Eighteen patients with an average age of 74.8 years were treated with VBS. Twelve were female and six were male. Two years after the operation the ODI and SF-36 showed a moderate limitation of daily activities and quality of life without neurological deficits. VBS restored the vertebral kyphosis by 3.2° and segmental kyphosis by 5°. A minor sintering was observed at follow-up losing 0.8° vertebral kyphosis and 2.1° segmental kyphosis correction. Two asymptomatic cement leakages were detected.

Conclusion: VBS provides clinical outcomes comparable with BKP. The stent allows a reconstruction of the anterior column with reduced subsequent loss of correction.