An evaluation of the functional and radiological results of percutaneous vertebroplasty versus conservative treatment for acute symptomatic osteoporotic spinal fractures

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the results of the two different treatment regimens (percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) and conservative treatment (CT)) regarding to efficacy, quality of life, functional and radiological results in patients with acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVF). Methods: The study comprised 83 patients who presented with complaints of OVF associated with osteoporosis and were treated with CT (37) or PV (46). All patients were evaluated according to preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and plain radiographs. Results: All patients in VP group reported a significant decrease in pain at 1st day postoperative. While Pain relief and functional outcomes were significantly better in PV group than CT at 1st and 3rd months according to VAS and ODI scores, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups at 6th months follow-up. The mean preoperative local sagittal Cobb angle (LSCA) and the mean vertebra corpus mid-level height (MVCH) were 42.3 degrees and 14.6 mm in the PV group, while they were measured as 39.8 degrees and 15.7 mm in CT group, respectively. 15.6 degrees decreasing the LSCA and 10.2 mm increasing MVCH were noted in the PV group at the 6th month follow-up. While LSCA increased 19.1 degrees and MVCH decreased 7.6 mm in CT group at same time period (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Compared to the CT group, PV provides a rapid decrease of pain and an early return to daily life activities. Although improvement was observed on the radiological findings following treatment in the PV group, PV may not enhance the quality of life in patients with acute OVF at 6th months follow up. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.