In recent years, the classical vertebroplasty has tended to be replaced by vertebral augmentation procedures. This article discusses the reliability of vertebral augmentation procedures using balloon kyphoplasty or a spine jack system, with intraoperative CT scan control coupled with the neuronavigation system as a treatment option for cervical and upper thoracic spine lesions.

In our neurosurgical department, in the past two years, 11 patients underwent either a kyphoplasty or a vertebral augmentation by a Spine Jack via a transpedicular route, under perioperative 3D imaging, for a total of 15 cervical/upper thoracic lesions. For these patients, we evaluated the clinical symptoms before and after surgery, the intraoperative and postoperative complications as well as the radiation exposure and the duration of their hospitalisation.

We noted for all of the patients an improvement of the mean Karnofsky index, which improved from 50 to 80, and of the VAS that decreased from a mean of 75 to 15, as they were clearly alleviated after the operation. The radiation was lower for patients that were treated for 2 or more vertebrae, and much lower for the medical staff. The intraoperative complications rate (4 cement leakages for 15 vertebrae, 26%), was low and completely asymptomatic in all cases. The radiological follow-up examinations were satisfactory for all the patients.

Our results suggest that percutaneous transpedicular vertebral augmentation techniques using intraoperative CT scan are a viable treatment for secondary lesions or traumatic compression fractures of the cervical and upper thoracic spine.