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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

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American Journal of Neuroradiology 26:489-492, March 2005
© 2005 American Society of Neuroradiology

SPINE

The Vertebral Body Fracture in Osteoporosis: Restoration of Height Using Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Arthur B. Dublin^a, Jonathan Hartman^a, Richard E. Latchaw^a, John K. Hald^a and Michael H. Reid^b

^a Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
^b Section of Cross-Sectional Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA

Address correspondence to Arthur B. Dublin, MD, University of California, Davis, Medical Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3100, Sacramento, California 95817

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is an effective tool for the relief of pain caused by osteoporotic spine fractures. Our purpose is to evaluate this technique and its effectiveness in restoring the height of such fractures.

METHODS: Forty osteoporotic vertebral body fractures in 30 consecutive patients (24 female, six males; mean age, 70 years) were analyzed retrospectively, before and after percutaneous vertebroplasty, for changes in vertebral body height, kyphosis angle, and wedge angle. The ages of the fractures range from 1 to 5 months.

RESULTS: Percutaneous vertebroplasty improved the pretreatment height of compression fractures in these patients by a mean of 47.6% (P < .001), with only 15% showing no improvement. These figures compare favorably with published results for kyphoplasty (47% mean improvement in height in 70% of fractures; no improvement in 30% of fractures). In addition, we achieved a mean improvement in kyphosis angle of 6° and an improvement in the wedge angle of 3.5° (as compared with published results for kyphoplasty of 7.4 and 4.3°, respectively; P < .001).

CONCLUSION: Percutaneous vertebroplasty should be viewed not only as a pain-relieving procedure, but also an effective method for improving vertebral body height, kyphosis angle, and wedge angle.

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