At the North American Spine Society (NASS) 28th annual meeting, DePuy Synthes Spine announced its new Synflate Vertebral Balloon.
DePuy says the new Synflate Vertebral Balloon is semi-elastic with material stiffness that has been optimized to enhance the structural stability of the balloon during inflation, enabling controlled and predictable cavity creation. The Synflate is nearly double the strength of standard elastic balloons currently available on the market at maximum inflation volume, is available in several sizes (10, 15, and 20 mm), is offered with mono or bilateral access kits, multiple access trocars, and can be used with bone fillers, including Vertecem II and Confidence cements.
Each year over 700,000 people suffer vertebral compression fractures each year, according to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). These internal breaks in spinal bones are common in patients with osteoporosis and can require vertebral body augmentation if more conservative treatments fail. Vertebral body balloon procedures insert a balloon filled into the patient to restore normal bone height. Once the balloon is moved, bone cement is inserted into the empty space to strengthen and stabilize the bone.
Source: www.mddionline.com; Chris Wiltz; October 14, 2013.
