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Vertebral augmentation procedures increase survival rate for patients with vertebral compression fractures
Researchers found vertebral augmentation procedures, including vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, resulted in higher survival rates than nonoperative treatment of patients with vertebral compression fractures.
The 2006 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review file contained data on 72,693 patients with vertebral compression fractures, according to this study. The researchers excluded patients with previous vertebral compression fractures, vertebral augmentations procedures, patients with malignant neoplasm and patients who had died. Patients were at least 65 years or older.
The investigators stratified the remaining 68,752 patients into a nonoperative group of 55.6% of patients, a vertebroplasty group made up of 11.2% of patients and a kyphoplasty group of 33.2% of patients.
The 3-year survival rate for nonoperative treatment was 42.3%, for vertebroplasty was 49.7% and for kyphoplasty 59.9%. Risk of death was 20% lower in the kyphoplasty group than the vertebroplasty group. Researchers calculated higher hospital charges, but shorter hospital stays in the kyphoplasty group. In addition, the kyphoplasty group was least likely to have pneumonia or decubitus ulcers immediately postoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively, but there was a higher chance they would need additional augmentation procedures than patients in the vertebroplasty group.
"These provocative findings may reflect selection bias and should be addressed in a prospective, direct comparison of methods to treat vertebral compression fractures," the researchers stated in the study.