Percutaneous vertebroplasty for patients with osteoporosis: A one-year follow-up

Purpose: To evaluate changes in height and wedge angle of treated vertebral bodies and kyphosis angle 1 year after vertebroplasty. Material and Methods: We reviewed radiographs of 95 vertebral bodies treated with vertebroplasty in 60 patients with osteoporosis. Only vertebral bodies with imaging evidence of a new fracture or avascular necrosis received vertebroplasty. Images were obtained for evaluation before vertebroplasty ( B), within 2 weeks after vertebroplasty ( T), and after 1 year ( T1). Results: The mean wedge angle decreased by 5.4 from B to T1. Mean of the anterior, central, and posterior heights of the fractured bodies increased by 12.6%, 9.6%, and 3.1%, respectively, from B to T1. The kyphosis angle improved by 3.2 initially from B to T, but the improvement later disappeared. In 48% of these patients, a new fracture developed after vertebroplasty, and 63% of the fractures were adjacent to a vertebroplasty-treated vertebral body. Conclusion: The increase in height and wedge angle of the vertebral bodies generally lasted at least 1 year. Improvement in kyphosis angles was lost 1 year after vertebroplasty because new fractures occurred in 48% of these patients. Prevention of new fractures after vertebroplasty remains an important task.