OBJECTIVETo study therapeutic effects of Sky-bone expander for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compressed fractures.

METHODSFifteen patients (18 vertebrae) suffering from vertebral compression fractures were treated with Sky bone expander system which expanded and reconstructed the vertebral body with PMMA cement. The clinical effect was evaluated by observing the changing of visual analogue scale (VAS). The preoperative and postoperative mean VAS scores were compared by paired-sample t test. All the patients were followed up by telephone or clinic consulting after being discharged from our hospital.

RESULTSThe procedure was performed successfully in 15 patients. The operation time ranged from 45 to 110 minutes (65 minutes per vertebra on average). The patients were followed up and the duration ranged from 6 to 12 months (8 months on average). The mean VAS score of the patients were improved significantly at the third postoperative day compared with those before the operation (2.5 +/- 1.3, vs 7.7 +/- 1.1, all P < 0.05). The mean VAS score at the end of the follow-up was 2.2 +/- 1.2.

CONCLUSIONSky bone expander system provides significant pain relief effect in the cases of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, shortens the duration of lying in bed, and its procedure is convenient with few complications.