algorithm that makes certain the paent quickly moves
from diagnosis to appropriate treatment based on their
specific condions, according to Thomas.
"At Swedish, we felt strongly enough about the benefits
that we have a team of people that help coordinate
paent care, so they don't end up back in the emergency
department with intractable pain," he says.
The benefits of treang VCF paents with balloon
kyphoplasty are convincing.
"First, immediate pain relief – it's actually shocking to see
someone in so much pain find so much relief so quickly.
We've seen paents walk out pain free when they were
unable to sit or lie down comfortably. Second, we
achieve that pain relief with very lile if any prescribed
pain medicaon. And third, although the paent is not
guaranteed that they won't get another compression
fracture, the odds are in their favor that it will be signifi
cantly delayed," explains Thomas.
Ge'ng started
Geng the right VCF algorithm in place creates consis
tency in both the diagnosis and treatment process. It can
significantly reduce return visits to the emergency
department and keep the cost of care down. Now with
COVID19, it's even more important to keep paents out
of the hospital to limit the risk of exposure.
If a hospital wanted to start a VCF program to care for
paents, Thomas offers the following three steps:
• Partner with industry "I'm a firm believer that the tra
dional approach is becoming anquated. Yes, you need
a commied physician champion to drive the iniave
and that physician should be paired with an administra
ve champion to build the paent care pathway. But I
also believe that industry needs to be included in the
process. I've found that my vendor partners have an
enormous amount of experience that has helped us more
quickly idenfy issues and brainstorm potenal soluons.
So, don't be afraid to engage your industry partner."
• Collaborate with the community "Second, educate
your healthcare community on the dangers of leaving
VCF untreated. Share research with physical therapists,
assisted living facilies, primary care physicians and
home care providers. These frontline providers are
o"en the first to see these paents and can help rec
ommend a course of care."
• Drive down the cost and improve outcomes – "Lastly,
engage Accountable Care Organizaons (ACO's), if they
are prevalent in your community. Show them the differ
ences in the cost of care for a return visit to the emer
gency department and longterm care vs. kyphoplasty."
More and more spine surgeons are moving away from
the tradional approach of bracing the paent and man
aging the pain with opioids to doing the kyphoplasty
themselves or referring the paent to an intervenonist.
With growing awareness of the benefit to kyphoplasty,
there's new hope for VCF paents as they experience
beer outcomes.
References
1. Brunton S, et al. J Fam Pract. 2005;54(9):781788.
2. Chen AT, et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2013 Oct 2;95(19):17291736.
3. IOF.
h&ps://www.ioonehealth.org/breakingspinereport2010.
4. Brunton S, et al. J Fam Pract. 2005;54(9):781788.
5. IOF.
h&ps://www.ioonehealth.org/breakingspinereport2010.
6. Lindsay et al JAMA 2011 Risk of New Fracture in the year following a fracture
7. Boonen, S. et al, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research,
2011 July (Vol. 26, No. 7): 16271634.
Resources
• VCF Mortality Risk: medtronic.com/bkpmortality
• VCF Clinical Evidence:
h&ps://www.medtronic.com/usen/healthcareprofes
sionals/products/spinalorthopaedic/balloonkyphoplasty/kyphonballoon
kyphoplasty/clinicalevidence/kyphonstudies.html
• VCF Carepathway: Medtronic.com/vcfcarepath
• Free 24 Data:
h&ps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21337428/
• Con&nued Universal Benefits with BKP‐Fractured Reduc&on Evalua&on:
h&ps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23446769/
• Cancer Pa&ents‐BKP vs NSM‐The CAFÉ Study:
h&ps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21333599/
Instruc%ons for Use
The complicaon rate with Kyphon™ Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to be low. There are risks associated with the
procedure (e.g., cement extravasaon), including serious complicaons, and through rare, some of which may be fatal.
Risks of acrylic bone cements include cement leakage, which may cause ssue damage, nerve or circulatory problems, and other serious adverse
events, such as: Cardiac arrest, Cerebrovascular accident, Myocardial infarcon, Pulmonary embolism and Cardiac embolism.
For complete informaon regarding indicaons for use, contraindicaons, warnings, precauons, adverse events, and methods of use,
please reference the devices' Instrucons for Use included with the product. UC202105068EN VCF Outpaent Surgery Arcle FY21
The benefits of treang
VCF paents with balloon
kyphoplasty are convincing.
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