Percutaneous Vertebroplasty versus Conservative Treatment for One Level Thoracolumbar Osteoporotic Compression Fracture: Results of an Over 2-Year Follow-up

Abstract

We retrospectively compared the clinical and radiological results of percutaneous vertebroplasty with those of conservative treatment in the management of thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fractures. Sixty-five patients who could be followed up for more than 2 years with thoracic and lumbar spine osteoporotic compression fractures, between January 2005 and October 2010, were reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the type of management: group 1, non-operated group treated conservatively; group 2, operated group that underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty. We assessed the clinical and radiological changes at postoperative and follow-up periods in both groups. The male-to-female ratio and mean age of the patients were 11:54 and 73.04 years (range, 50 – 90 years), respectively. The location and number of treated vertebrae were as follows: T4 = 1, T6 = 1, T7 = 3, T8 = 1, T9 = 2, T10 = 1, T11 = 8, T12 = 11, L1 = 17, L2 = 10, L3 = 6, L4 = 3, and L5 = 1. The mean T-score was -3.37. The overall VAS score and the VAS score until 6 months post-injury were statistically more improved in group 2 than in group 1 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005, respectively). Overall, the compression ratio was statistically more improved in group 2 than in group 1 (P < 0.05). Early pain control and restoration of the compressed vertebral body are the beneficial and real effects of percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fractures. Key words: Osteoporosis, compression fracture, vertebroplasty, osteoplasty, comparative study, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)