Summary and Introduction
Summary
Kyphoplasty can be used to treat compression fractures resulting from a variety of causes. The use of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in conjunction with kyphoplasty has many risks and potential complications, however, particularly in the younger patient population. Silicate-substituted calcium phosphate (Actifuse Synthetic Bone Graft; Apatech, Ltd.) is an alternative to PMMA that provides immediate pain relief and the ability to heal and incorporate within the vertebral body.
Introduction
Kyphoplasty with PMMA is an accepted treatment for osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine that are resistant to conservative treatment.[7,11,12,16,19,23] Indications for kyphoplasty have expanded to include compression fractures associated with hemangiomas,[1] myeloma,[3] and other neoplastic processes.[4,6,8] There is concern, however, about the intraoperative, perioperative, and postoperative complications associated with PMMA.[5,7,9,12,14,24] As a result, alternative bone-filling materials have been investigated to minimize the potential complications associated with PMMA.[13] In this case study we present a young patient with multiple compression fractures associated with a rare metabolic disorder that were treated with kyphoplasty in which a silicate-substituted calcium phosphate bone filler (Actifuse Synthetic Bone Graft; Apatech, Ltd.) was used.
Neurosurg Focus. 2006;21(6) © 2006 American Association of Neurological Surgeons
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