Mountain View and Los Gatos, CA - January 31, 2012 - El Camino Hospital announced today that it is participating in the KAST (Kiva® System as a Vertebral Augmentation Treatment - A Safety and Effectiveness Trial) study. The Kiva VCF Treatment System, an implanted device used to stabilize the vertebral body, is being evaluated in the treatment of painful vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis. Dr. Fabio Komlos at the Mountain View campus and Dr. Jeffrey Coe and Dr. Michael Cluck at the Los Gatos campus are the investigators in this study
Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) occur when a vertebra cracks, fractures, or collapses. These fractures are extremely painful and often debilitating. Over 700,000 osteoporosis-related vertebral compression fractures occur each year in the US alone. It is estimated that two-thirds of vertebral compression fractures are never diagnosed because many patients dismiss their back pain as a sign of aging and/or arthritis.
When bones become fragile and brittle from osteoporosis, everyday activities can trigger vertebral compression fractures. Bending to lift an object or picking something up off the floor, missing a curb, or slipping on a wet surface can put the spinal bones at risk of fracture. Without intervention the pain may subside as the fracture heals, but the vertebra heals in its deformed, compressed position. This shortened, compressed vertebra alters the normal alignment of the spine, putting the spine at greater risk for additional fractures.
The primary treatment for VCFs is typically conservative care consisting of bed rest, analgesics, physical therapy, and back braces. There are also other interventional modalities for the treatment of VCFs, including vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty. These treatments aim to stabilize the fractures, providing pain relief, and functional improvement. El Camino Hospital is participating in the KAST study, the results of which will be used to gain FDA clearance in the US.
"I am delighted to have El Camino Hospital be part of KAST and we look forward to enrolling many patients on the study." says Dr. Coe.
For more information about the treatment of vertebral compression fractures, including the KAST study at El Camino Hospital, please call 408-376-3300. Additional information on osteoporosis and spinal fractures can be found at the National Osteoporosis Foundation www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org. For more information about the Kiva System, visit www.benvenuemedical.com.