Reviewer’s comment concerning “Magnetic resonance imaging changes of intervertebral discs after kyphoplasty” (doi:10.1007/s00586-014-3244-8 by M. A. König, S. Panzer and B. M. Boszczyk)

Excerpt

The article, “Magnetic resonance imaging changes of intervertebral discs after kyphoplasty” analyses the long-term effects of kyphoplasty with respect to disc degeneration. The authors have studied 15 patients with acute osteoporotic fractures treated with kyphoplasty. To study the effects of intra-vertebral cement on disc degeneration, MRI scans were performed before surgery, after a mean follow-up of 15.2 months (early follow-up in all 15 patients) and at mean of 94.3 months (long-term follow-up in 7 patients). In the MRI images, 43 discs were examined preoperatively and at the first follow-up, while 20 discs were studied at long-term follow-up. At the first follow-up, three discs showed progression of disc degeneration by one grade. Only one injured and one uninjured disc showed progressive degeneration in the long-term follow up. Interestingly no intervertebral disc in-between bisegmental cement augmentation showed acceleration of degenerative changes. The authors hence conclude that kyphoplasty does not accelerate disc degeneration. …