Balloon kyphoplasty in spinal fracture surgery

Spinal cord injuries remain a serious problem for all mankind. They not only cause pain, but also significantly limit the social activity of the injured. New types of minimally invasive surgical interventions are being developed to correct and stabilise the spine. One of the promising trends in this area is balloon kyphoplasty. The essence of the method consists in percutaneous insertion of a special balloon into the body of the affected vertebra. The balloon is inserted in a compressed state, and then fluid is injected into it under pressure. The balloon spreads in the vertebral body, providing reduction of post-traumatic compression. The balloon is then removed and the cavity formed is filled with paste-like bone cement. The methacrylate-based bone cement polymerises during the operation, which provides primary stability. The advantages of this method include minimally invasiveness, rapid clinical effect, the use of local anaesthesia, and the possibility to perform the intervention on an outpatient basis. The book will be of interest to orthopaedic traumatologists, rheumatologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons and medical students.