This study assessed the one-year clinical and radiographic outcomes, in terms of
pain-relief, vertebral re-fracture and complications, after
vertebroplasty (VP) using a new osteoconductive cement (
calcium triglyceride bone cement - Kryptonite™
bone cement, Doctors Research Group Inc., Southbury, CT, USA) to treat osteoporotic vertebral
compression fractures. Sixteen consecutive osteoporotic patients (12 women and four men, mean age 68+/-10.5) were treated with VP using Kryptonite™
bone cement for a total of 20 vertebral fractures. All the patients complained of a
pain syndrome resistant to medical
therapy and all procedures were performed under fluoroscopy control with
neuroleptoanalgesia using a monopedicular approach in 12 patients and bipedicular approach in four patients. All patients were studied by MR and MDCT and were evaluated with the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) before treatment and at one and 12 months after the procedure. A successful outcome was observed in 80% of patients, with a complete resolution of
pain. Differences in pre and post treatment VAS and ODI at one-year follow-up were significant (P<0.0001). We observed a disk and venous leakage in 66% of patients but only in one case did an asymptomatic
pulmonary embolism occur during cement injection. Two cases of vertebral re-fractures at distant metamers were observed during follow-up. VP using
Kryptonite bone cement is a helpful procedure that allows complete and long-lasting resolution of painful vertebral symptoms. The cost of the material is very high and the rate of disk and venous leakage is too high compared to standard cement.