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Vertebroplasty remains preferred treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
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Despite concerns with excessive angular correction, vertebroplasty remains the preferred treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures over kyphoplasty, according to recent study results.
Researchers equally assigned 100 patients with vertebral compression fractures to either the kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty group. In cement augmentation, researchers used polymethylmethacrylate as bone filler. Pain scores were determined by the VAS scale and researchers used reconstructed CT images to measure each patient’s vertebral body height and wedge angle.
The follow-up period was 5 years. Researchers found seven vertebroplasty patients had an adjacent fracture after the procedure, compared with eight patients in the kyphoplasty group who had an adjacent fracture.
Researchers found no statistically significant changes between the groups in VAS scores, vertebral body heights and kyphotic wedge angles at 1-year follow up or at final follow-up of 5 years, compared with those 3 days after surgery.
Researchers concluded excessive angular correction is a critical concern in the risk of adjacent-level fractures after vertebroplasty, but due to the subtle differences between the two treatments at 5-year follow up, vertebroplasty should be the preferred treatment. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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