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Vesselplasty is a sugical alternative in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). It is an image-guided procedure that requires conscious sedations and either general or local anesthesia. Vesselplasty is a latest minimally invasive procedure that increases mobility and reduces the pain of patients’ with vertebral compression fractures.

It is an alternative to vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty—two conventional VCF treatment methods—that solves the problem of leakage of cement out of the vertebral body, which can happen during both vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

Contents 1 Procedure 2 Virtues 3 Criticism 4 Alternative treatments of VCFs 5 References

[edit] Procedure

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The main purpose of Vesselplasty is to reduce pain and hospital staying due to the fact that it is a minimal invasive procedure. Patients usually go home the same day as the procedure. Vesselplasty is generally performed by a spine surgeon or interventional radiologist.

With either general or local anesthesia, firstly find the right location of a vertebral body. Twist Bone Access Needle to drill in order to make a channel to the pedicle & 2–3 mm of posterior vertebral body margin. Avoid penetration of the endplate and the anterior cortex. Hold a Cannula Tube and insert it. Stop drilling 2–3 mm from the anterior cortex and leave it to prevent fluid coagulation. Tighten the Luer Lock Connector of the locking knob of Introducer to the Cannula Tube to prevent Introducer migration.

Slide the plastic protective sleeve covering backward and remove it before deliver it. Soak in radiographic, contrast to highlight its position under Fluoroscopy. Put well-mixed cement in Controlled Cement Delivery Injector and put flexible extension tube on the top of CCD Injector. Connect flexible extension tube with Vessel-X. Inject cement slowly and carefully observe the image of fluoroscopy to determine the volume of cement injected. Remove all instruments and leave the Vessel-X bone filler container inside the vertebral body. Wait until bone filler has polymerizated completely.

[edit] Virtues

Vesselplasty conquers the fatal problem, leakage of cement which may cause during other VCFs treatments. Also, it provides interdigitation effect and restore the vertebral body height. Due to the fact that vesselplasty is applied by minimal invasive technique, it relieves the pain instantly and shortens the hospital stay.

[edit] Criticism

Vesselplasty contains several techniques during its procedure. The main criticism is that the training period is not short. The surgeon needs to fully understand this process and to be well-familiar with any possible reaction of cement mixture. It all depends on the viscosity of mixed-cement and the experiences of the surgeon’s. It requires high sense of observation. Once the density of cement is not well-controlled or the time period of injecting cement is not well-mastered, there is a possibility of cement leakage.

[edit] Alternative treatments of VCFs

• Kyphoplasty
• Vertebroplasty
• Osteoporosis

[edit] References

• Vertebral Augmentation With a Novel Vessel-X Bone Void Filling Container System and Bioactive Bone Cement
• Vesselplasty: A Novel Concept of Percutaneous Treatment For Stanilization and Height Restoration of Vertevral Compression Fractures
• Vesselplasty Reduces Vertebral Compression Fracture Pain
• Vesselplasty using SrHA New cement (Osteo-G®)
• New treatment may benefit patients with vertebral compression fractures
• Section 2-10 Vesselplasty on Textbook "Emerging Techniques in Spine Surgery" edited by Arvind Bhave
• Journal of Anaesthesiology ISSN 0970-9185