Medtronic releases balloons to treat spinal fractures

Medtronic, a giant medical device company based in Minneapolis and with a large facility in Santa Rosa, on Wednesday released a new balloon treatment for spine-compression fractures.

[caption id="attachment_99406" align="alignleft" width="262"] Medtronic balloons used to treat vertebral compression fractures.[/caption]

Such fractures can be caused by osteoporosis, cancer, benign lesions or by accidents and falls. Kyphoplasty shores up collapsed vertebrae in the spine.

Medtronic's kyphoplasty tool uses balloons inflated up to 700 pounds per square inch to allow physicians options for treating and reducing further fractures. The balloons can be used at different levels of the spine. A related treatment called Kyphon Cement allows precise delivery of bone cement into vertebral bodies.

Sometimes the treatment can restore a patient's height or mitigate loss in stature, which often accompanies compression fractures.

"Interventional physicians treating vertebral compression fractures now have more options with our balloon kyphoplasty procedure," said Medtronic's Doug King, president of the spinal treatments group, in a statement.

Medtronic's kyphoplasty device aims to reduce and stabilize a fracture, providing immediate and sustained pain relief, and improved physical function.

Balloon kyphoplasty is a percutaneous procedure that involves use of access tools with inflatable bone tamps placed inside the vertebral body. Balloon inflation compacts the cancellous (spongy) bone and pushes the end plates apart. Once balloons have been removed, the resulting void is filled with viscous bone cement to stabilize the vertebral body. Vertebroplasty, an alternative treatement, involves insertion of a catheter and injection of liquid cement into the body without creating a cavity for the cement.

Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) has revenue of more than $17 billion, operates in 140 countries worldwide and employs nearly 50,000 people. Medtronic's large facility on Unocal Place in Santa Rosa employs more than 800.

The company was founded in 1949 by Palmer Hermundslie and Earl Bakken.

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