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Medtronic
Kyphon Assist Directional Cannula
Kyphoplasty as a treatment for pain secondary to vertebral body com-
pression fracture has been widely used for only about two decades, so
continued refinement of the technique and tools remains a key inter-
est for surgeons who perform the procedure. Medtronic's Kyphon
Assist Directional Cannula, the latest version of the company's
Kyphon system, boasts better control of cavity creation, increased vol-
ume capacity and increased safety while retaining the familiar One-
Step access system. Because the normal anatomic trajectory of the
pedicle is not parallel to the vertebral end plates, the addition of direc-
tional control should improve clinical results and minimize complica-
tions by matching vertebral morphology to the placement of the bal-
loon. As long as the Kyphon Assist's cannula mechanism is reliable
both in deployment and retraction, this new capability should be of
great value.
