The Fate of Injected Cement on Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Kim, Jin Hwan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) is effective surgical method for treating osteoporotic compression fracture. But there is a few data for long term follow-up radiologic result, especially injected bone cement features. We assessed the radiographic features of patients who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty in osteoporotic compression fractures with a minimum of 7 years follow-up retrospectively.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Between January 2000 and August 2007, 253 patients were treated with PVP for osteoporotic compression fracture at our department; 81 patients died during follow-up and 101 patients (177 vertebrae) were available for follow-up for over 7 years. We analyzed the radiologic outcome focused on injected bone cement feature.
RESULTS
The mean follow-up period was 7.9 years. A new adjacent vertebral fracture was documented by 55 vertebral bodies in 35 patients. Anterior body height in the last follow-up was improved about 0.3 mm compared with the preprocedural value, but was not statistically significant. Also, the focal kyphotic angle was reduced from 12.3° at the preprocedural state to 11.7° at the postprocedural state but was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Out of the 101 cases, the 89 cases for whom the cement was injected into the vertebral body were kept in a stable condition. Seven cases of radiolucent line with decreased bone density in the adjacent area of cement and 5 cases of cement cracks accompanied with vertebral collapse were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
The bone cement injected vertebrae showed stable radiologic progression without significant changes in vertebral height or kyphotic angle.