Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous vertebroplasty has been widely used in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures; however, percutaneous vertebroplasty for severe vertebral compression fracture associated with vertebral body wall damage has an increased risk due to bone cement leakage and puncture, which is reported rarely in clinic.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of percutaneous vertebroplasty with bone cement for treatment of severe vertebral compression fractures associated with peripheral wall damage and to evaluate its clinical effect.
METHODS: From June 2008 to September 2010, 22 patients with vertebral compression fracture associated with vertebral body wall damage were admitted. 68.5% vertebral body height was lost averagely. Then, patients underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty treatment. Postoperative visual analogue scale scores were evaluated, and modified Stauffer-Coventry assessing system was used to assess the follow-up results.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All patients were successfully operated, and followed for 12 months. Postoperatively, the injured vertebral height recovered to varying degrees, and no loss of vertebral body height was found at the end of follow-up. Postoperative pain was significantly reduced or disappeared, the average visual analogue scale scores were reduced from 8.8 to 2.2. Asymptomatic complications and bone cement materials versus-host reaction did not occur. These findings indicate that percutaneous vertebroplasty is safe and feasible to treat severe vertebral compression fractures associated with peripheral wall damage.