Background: Vertebral augmentation has been widely used to treat vertebral body compression fractures caused by varied pathologies. The lifetime risk of a vertebral body compression fracture is 16% for women and 5% for men, and exponential increase of osteoporotic fractures worldwide.
Purpose: To determine the efficacy and durability of percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of back pain associated with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.
Design: A prospective study.
Materials and methods: A prospective evaluation of pain relief in 30 patients, with mean age of 73.7 years, who underwent percutaneous injection of polymethyl methacrylate into 54 vertebrae under fluoroscopic guidance over a period of 35 months was done. Before the procedure and at follow up, patients were asked to quantify their pain on a visual analogue scale.
Results: The procedure was technically successful in all the patients. Mean duration of follow up was 21.5 months (6-44 months). Ninety-seven percent of the patients reported a significant relief 24 hours after the procedure. Ninety-two percent reported significant improvement in back pain, previously associated with a compression fracture, as well as improved ambulatory ability. Before vertebroplasty, the VAS score was 8.91+/- 1.82 compared to a score of 2.02+/- 1.95 at follow up. The mean difference in VAS score was significant (p<.0001). One patient had an asymptomatic epidural leak of PMMA, however did not require any further intervention.
Conclusion: Percutaneous vertebroplasty of symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures is a minimally invasive procedure that provides immediate and sustained pain relief in patients with refractory pain.