[Bilateral percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty through unilateral transverse process-extrapedicular approach for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture of lumbar].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and short-term effectiveness of bilateral percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty through unilateral transverse process-extrapedicular approach for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) of lumbar. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 93 patients with OVCF of lumbar who met the selection criteria between January 2018 and June 2019. According to the different surgical methods, they were divided into group A (44 cases, treated with bilateral percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty through unilateral transverse process-extrapedicular approach) and group B [49 cases, treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) via bilateral transpedicle approach]. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, T value of bone mineral density, injury cause, fractured level, time from injury to operation, comorbidities, and preoperative Cobb angle of injured vertebra, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, bone cement injection amount, and incidence of bone cement leakage were recorded and compared between the two groups; Cobb angle of the injured vertebrae, VAS score, and ODI were measured before operation, at 2 days and 1 year after operation. The contralateral distribution ratio of bone cement was calculated according to the anteroposterior X-ray film at 2 days after operation. RESULTS: The operation time and the intraoperative fluoroscopy times in group A were significantly less than those in group B ( P<0.05). There was no bone cement adverse reactions, cardiac and cerebrovascular adverse events, and no complications such as puncture needles erroneously inserted into the spinal canal and nerve injuries occurred in the two groups. Bone cement leakage occurred in 6 cases and 8 cases in groups A and B, respectively, all of which were asymptomatic paravertebral or intervertebral leakage, and no intraspinal leakage occurred; the bone cement injection amount and incidence of bone cement leakage between the two groups showed no significant differences ( P>0.05). The contralateral distribution ratio of bone cement in group A was significantly lower than that in group B ( t=2.685, P=0.009). Patients in both groups were followed up 12-20 months, with an average of 15.3 months. The Cobb angle of the injured vertebrae, VAS score, and ODI in the two groups were significantly improved at 2 days after operation, however, the Cobb angle of the injured vertebra at 1 year after operation was significantly lost when compared with the 2 days after operation, the VAS score and ODI at 1 year after operation were significantly further improved when compared with the 2 days after operation, the differences were all significant ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the Cobb angle of the injured vertebrae, VAS score, and ODI between the two groups at each time point after operation ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Bilateral percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty through unilateral transverse process-extrapedicular approach is comparable to bilateral PKP in short-term effectiveness with regard to fracture reduction, reduction maintenance, pain relief, and functional improvement. It has great advantages in reducing operation time and radiation exposure, although it is inferior in bone cement distribution.

[Short-term effectiveness of polyaxial locking plate for fixation of femoral neck fracture in middle-aged and elderly patients].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and short-term effectiveness of polyaxial locking plate for fixation of femoral neck fracture in the middle-aged and elderly patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 13 patients with femoral neck fracture undergoing fixation with polyaxial locking plates between September 2013 and June 2015 (group A) and 13 patients with femoral neck fracture undergoing fixation with three cannulated screws in the same period (group B). There was no significant difference in gender, age, side, cause of injury, Garden type, type of fracture position, type of Pauwels angle, Singh index, time between injury and operation, and preoperative complications between 2 groups ( P>0.05). The femoral neck shortening at 1 year postoperatively, and fracture nonunion, femoral head necrosis, and Harris hip score at last follow-up were compared between 2 groups. Results: The follow-up time was (19.23±3.98) months in group A and (18.00±3.61) months in group B, showing no significant difference between 2 groups ( t=2.063, P=0.417). No femoral head necrosis occurred in group A, but head necrosis occurred in 1 case of group B, and hemiarthroplasty was performed. There was no significant difference in the rate of femoral head necrosis between 2 groups ( χ2=0.000, P=1.000). Bone union was obtained in the other patients of 2 groups. The Harris hip score of group A (85.23±2.95) was significantly higher than that of group B (81.92±3.64) at last follow-up ( t=2.064, P=0.018). No infection or internal fixation failure occurred in 2 groups. One case had pain at the outer thigh at 1 month after operation in group A, but pain relief was achieved at 3 months after operation. At 1 year after operation, no femoral neck shortening occurred in group A, but degree I, II, and III femoral neck shortening was observed in 3, 2, and 8 cases of group B, respectively, showing significant difference between 2 groups ( Z=-4.714, P=0.000). Conclusion: Although fixation with polyaxial locking plate for femoral neck fracture in the middle-aged and elderly patients has similar femoral head necrosis rate to fixation with cannulated screws, it has advantages in preventing neck shortening and improving hip joint function after operation.