Spire Bristol Hospital, The Glen

“BALLOON AND CEMENT” PROCEDURE FIXES SPINAL FRACTURES AT SPIRE BRISTOL HOSPITAL

Bristol-based spinal surgeon Ian Harding is the first in the city to use a revolutionary “balloon” procedure for the treatment of spinal injuries.

Mr Harding, who practices at Spire Bristol Hospital, is pioneering the use of kyphoplasty, which involves the insertion into the patient‘s spine of a small balloon, which is then filled with bone cement.

The treatment is used with patients who have suffered spinal fractures, typically older people suffering from osteoporosis or from various forms of cancer which can spread to the spine and cause collapse.

“Using a needle and tube, we create a 3-4 mm pathway either side of the fractured bone, which has typically crumbled into a wedge shape, causing the patient considerable pain,” says Mr Harding, who carries out two of the procedures in an average month.

“A small, orthopaedic balloon is then guided through the tube and into the vertebra. This is then inflated in an attempt to raise the collapsed vertebra and return it to its normal position.

“Once this is achieved the balloon is deflated and removed, leaving behind a cavity in the vertebral body which is filled with bone cement. This creates a strong ‘scaffold‘ to support the surrounding bone and prevents further collapse.

“Previously, cement was injected into the bone without creating a cavity, but this has increased risk of complications whereas with balloon kyphoplasty, the complication rate is lower.”

Mr Harding says kyphoplasty has a wide variety of uses and can rapidly correct a patient‘s spinal deformity and treat their back pain.

“The procedure is minimally invasive and can normally be carried out as a day case. We generally see a rapid improvement in the patient‘s quality of life, including their mobility, and it often leads to an increase in height because the patient is out of pain and the spine is corrected.

“With an ageing population, osteoporosis and compression spinal fractures are increasingly common so this procedure is in massive demand, although many people are still unaware that it even exists.”

ENDS 29th September 2009

For further information please contact Neil Fraser, Sturgess Van Damme, on 01275 349011 or email neil@sturgessvandamme.co.uk

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