Percutaneous Vesselplasty for the Treatment of Vertebral Osteoporotic Collapse Fractures

Cureus. 2024 Sep 5;16(9):e68695. doi: 10.7759/cureus.68695. eCollection 2024 Sep.

Abstract

A 78-year-old woman with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) and chronic back pain was the subject of this case study. To treat symptomatic VCFs, less invasive procedures such as balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty were developed. Vertebroplasty involves injecting polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) into the vertebral body to mechanically stabilize it. However, there was a risk that PMMA could leak, potentially causing a pulmonary embolism or neurological problems. A modified vertebroplasty called balloon kyphoplasty reduced the chance of leakage but was not without complications. It used a high-pressure balloon to create a cavity before cement injection. An alternative procedure, called vesselplasty, aimed to reduce bone filler leakage, minimize void formation, and restore vertebral height. When vesselplasty was introduced, bone cement was held in place by a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) balloon container that expanded inside the vertebral body to lower the risk of leakage. Vesselplasty was shown to be a more secure and successful treatment for VCFs, especially in osteoporotic patients with peripheral wall injury. Vesselplasty was a potentially effective treatment for osteoporotic VCF patients in correcting kyphosis, restoring vertebral height, and reducing pain. During a six-month follow-up period, post-operative examinations following vesselplasty demonstrated considerable pain reduction, improved vertebral height, and superior overall health outcomes.

Keywords: fluoroscopic examination; polymethylmethacrylate (pmma); vertebral body; vertebral bone; vesselplasty.

Publication types

  • Case Reports