Abstract No. 184: Comparison of Percutaneous Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty in Treatment of Painful Vertebral Compression Fractures

Article Outline

• Purpose
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Conclusion
• Copyright

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Purpose 

To investigate and compare therapeutic effectiveness and technical safety in treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

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Materials and Methods 

From 2002 - 2006 Eighty three patients (110 vertebrae) with painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were treated by PVP (n = 39) and PKP (n = 44) under the guidance of C-arm fluoroscopy. After transpedicular placement of bone biopsy needle into affected vertebral body, Methylmethacrylate is directly injected through the needle with a 1-mL Luer-Lok syringe in PVP, while Methylmethacrylate is injected after balloon inflation to create cavities in the vertebral body in PKP.

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Results 

Technical successes were achieved in all patients. Average fluoroscopic and hospitalization time, and procedural cost in patients of with PKP was significantly higher than those of PVP. However, there was no significant difference between kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty with respect to average cement volume, degree of pain reduction and SF-36 scores. Cement leakage occurred in 7 cases of PVP and in 5 cases of PKP, but resulted in no clinical consequences. There were no other major complications encountered in both group of patients.

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Conclusion 

As a minimally invasive intervention, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty can provide significant pain reduction and improvement of function in patients with painful osteoporotic compression fracture. Based on this study PVP is more cost effective than PKP. However, further perspective randomized trials may be necessary to justify this statement.