Radiological findings as favorable predictors of pain relief in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures after percutaneous vertebroplasty: a retrospective study of 156 cases.

PURPOSE

We evaluated the relationships between pre-procedural radiological findings and short-term pain relief in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of pre-procedural radiological images of 156 patients with painful osteoporotic compression fracture was performed. Pain was measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS). Complete pain relief was defined as a VAS pain score of 0 or 1 at 3 months after PVP. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between the pre-procedural imaging factors and pain relief using Pearson's chi-squared test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was also performed.

RESULTS

Complete pain relief was obtained in 45.5% of patients. An intravertebral cleft larger than half the height of the fractured vertebral body (FVB) was a significant key factor in the complete pain relief group after 3 months. Further, ≥40% of the spinal canal occupied by bony fragments of the FVB was related to incomplete pain relief.

CONCLUSION

A large intravertebral cleft was a favorable short-term outcome predictor in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures after PVP, while severe protrusion of the FVB causing lumbar spinal canal stenosis was not a favorable short-term outcome predictor of complete pain relief.