Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty in osteoporotic fractures of vertebral bodies -: a prospective 1-year follow-up analysis

Purpose: Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty offer two minimally invasive operative stabilization procedures for vertebral compression fractures. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate whether both procedures are able to reduce pain and to preserve postoperative vertebral height during a 1-year follow up. Materials and Methods: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures were treated in 42 cases, 20 patients (15 female, 5 male) underwent vertebroplasty, 22 patients (14 female, 8 male) underwent kyphoplasty. 32 vertebral fractures were treated with vertebroplasty and 35 vertebral fractures were treated with kyphoplasty. Symptomatic levels were identified by correlating the clinical presentation with conventional radiographs, CT or/and MRI. During the follow up reduction of pain was determined. Radiographic scans were performed pre- and postoperatively and after 3, 6 and 12 months. The vertebral height and endplate angles were measured to assess the restoration of the sagittal alignment. The effects on pain symptoms were measured on a self-reported Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry score was documented. Results: The median pain scores (VAS) decreased significantly for kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty from pre- to post-treatment, as did the Oswestry score (p < 0.05). No significant differences could be found between both groups for the median pain score (VAS) and the Oswestry score. Kyphoplsty led to a significant restoration of the vertebral height and reduction of kyphosis (p < 0.05). During the 1-year follow up both operation techniques were able to stabilize the height of the vertebral body. Conclusion: Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are effective minimally invasive procedures for the stabilization of osteoporotic vertebral fractures leading to a statistically significant reduction in pain. Kyphoplasty restores significantly vertebral body height in fresh fractures. The restoration of vertebral height and reduction of kyphosis may have an influence on the long term clinical outcome. This has to be evaluated in a long term prospective study.