Acute osteoporotic vertebral collapse:: Open study on percutaneous injection of acrylic surgical cement in 20 patients

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty in treating painful spinal osteoporotic collapse. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Twenty-three cases of vertebral collapse were evaluated with CT and MR imaging to determine osteoporotic origin and recent evolution. Percutaneous vertebroplasties were performed using CT guidance. The 20 patients included in the study (17 women, 3 men; 62-92 years old) had acute pain of less than 1 month's duration that hindered ambulation and required treatment with narcotic drugs. They underwent this procedure for analgesic purposes. The analogic visual scale of Huskisson was used for pain when scoring assessment. RESULTS. In 15 patients (75%), pain relief was complete within 24 hr after injection. Analgesic administration was stopped in 14 patients. Mild pain persisted in three (15%) of the remaining five patients. In one other patient (5%), crural pain was observed with cement leakage in the psoas muscle. In the fifth patient (5%), pain recurred after the patient was lifted. The pain was related to a new acute collapse of an adjacent vertebrae. CONCLUSION. Vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral collapse is a minimally invasive procedure that provides immediate pain relief and enables the patient to become quickly mobile.