Clinical evaluation of percutaneous vertebroplasty for symptomatic adjacent vertebral compression fracture.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) for treating patients with symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) adjacent to lumbar instrumented circumferential fusion.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Few studies have investigated adjacent VCFs and their management after spinal fusion surgery for degenerative lumbar disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 2005 to July 2011, a total of 23 patients with lumbar instrumented circumferential fusion suffered from adjacent symptomatic osteoporotic VCFs. All of these patients received PV using polymethylmethacrylate bone cement augmentation in our institute. Radiography and magnetic resonance imaging were used for imaging studies. The visual analog scale and modified Brodsky criteria were used to compare clinical outcomes before and after surgery. The minimum follow-up period was 18 months (range, 18-45 mo).

RESULTS

One level PV was performed in 18 patients and 2 levels were performed in 5 patients. The patients' visual analog scale scores improved by an average of 54.3 points after the procedure. Twenty patients returned to their preinjury activities of daily living. Lumbar lordosis was increased from 28.9 degrees before PV to 36.2 degrees after PV. The average restoration of the fractured vertebral body height was 14.0%. No surgery-related complications occurred except asymptomatic cement leakage in 4 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

PV is a minimally invasive and effective procedure to treat patients with symptomatic osteoporotic VCFs adjacent to lumbar instrumented circumferential fusion.