OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical effects of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for acute and chronic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).

METHODSFrom June 2006 to October 2011,42 senior patients with OVCF were treated with PKP. There were 5 males and 37 females,ranging in age from 60 to 86 years old with an average of (73.3+/-7.5) years old. The patients were divided into two groups (acute group and chronic group) according to the course,MRI and whether or not undergoing systematically conservative. VAS and ADL scoring systems were used to evaluate the pain and daily activities. X-ray was used to evaluate the vertebral height restoration rate and the kyphosis correction rate.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 10 to 64 months with an average of 17 months. At 1 week and 6 months after operation in two groups, VAS and ADL scores decreased significantly (P<0.05) ;VAS and ADL scores at 6 months after operation were higher than at 1 week after operation (P>0.05). But the improvement rates of the pain and daily activities of acute group were better than that of chronic group (P<0.05). At 1 week after operation,the restoration rate of anterior and middle vertebral height,the kyphotic correction rate in acute group were better than that of chronic group (P<0.05). CONCLUCSION: Using PKP to treat both acute and chronic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures can get good effects,but acute patients can obtain better effects than chronic patients,it has obviously advantages of relieving pain,correcting kyphotic angle,recovering vertebral height.