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Vertebroplasty using real-time, fluoroscopy-controlled, catheter-assisted, low-viscosity cement injection
Chung-Wei Lee1, Yao-Hung Wang, Hon-Man Liu
1Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei.
Spine
|April 12, 2008
Summary
This study introduces a new catheter-assisted vertebroplasty technique using low-viscosity cement. The method is safe and effective for pain relief, offering outcomes comparable to traditional high-viscosity cement injections.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Traditional vertebroplasty often uses viscous cement to prevent leakage, but this requires significant injection force and can increase radiation exposure.
- Current methods may necessitate specialized equipment or direct cement injection without a cannula, posing challenges.
- A novel technique utilizing an angiographic catheter for thin cement injection is presented to address these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a new catheter-assisted, low-viscosity cement injection technique for vertebroplasty.
- To assess the safety, feasibility, and outcomes of this innovative approach.
Main Methods:
- A case series involving 102 vertebroplasty sessions (84 patients, 148 vertebrae) using real-time, fluoroscopy-controlled, catheter-assisted, thin cement injection.
- Cement leakage was monitored in 85 procedures using computed tomography.
Main Results:
- All vertebral bodies were successfully filled with bone cement.
- Cement leakage occurred in 50% of asymptomatic cases (paraspinal, epidural, and intradiscal).
- Vertebroplasty provided pain relief in over 90% of patients, with new compression fractures occurring in a small percentage of cases.
Conclusions:
- Catheter-assisted, low-viscosity cement injection is a safe and feasible vertebroplasty method.
- This technique yields outcomes comparable to those achieved with high-viscosity cements.
- The approach offers a viable alternative for vertebral augmentation procedures.