Percutaneous vertebroplasty as therapy for vertebral fractures: results in a series of osteoporotic patients

In the recent years, percutaneous vertebroplasty is available for the treatment of the vertebral fractures, primarily to relieve pain related to the lesion. In order to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of this technique, we have treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty, using polymethylmethacrylate, 22 patients, affected by one or more vertebral fractures caused by osteoporosis. All the patients satisfied the inclusion criteria of the American College of Radiology for percutaneous vertebroplasty. These patients were compared with a control group of 23 not treated subjects with vertebral fractures, using questionnaires for assessment of pain and quality of life, drug intake, use of corset, and tolerability of the surgery. In the large majority of patients, the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures with percutaneous vertebroplasty resulted in a prompt, marked and sustained relief of vertebral pain with a persistent improvement of quality of life.