OBJECTIVETo analyze the therapeutic effects of percutaneous vertebroplasty versus percutaneous kyphoplasty for treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

METHODSFifteen patients (24 vertebrae) underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty and 15 (18 vertebrae) received percutaneous kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. The postoperative recovery of the anterior vertebral body height, visual analogue scale (VAS) and locomotor activity before and after the operations were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAll the patients were available for the follow-up lasting for 3-15 months (average 7 months). In the vertebroplasty group, the VAS score decreased from 8.68 preoperatively to 1.74 postoperatively and to 1.13 at the final follow-up. The VAS score in the kyphoplasty group decreased from 8.62 preoperatively to 1.72 postoperatively and to 1.21 at the final follow-up. Both vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty were effective in improving the anterior vertebral body height, but kyphoplasty showed a better effect. None of the patients developed serious complications associated with the operations.

CONCLUSIONPercutaneous vertebroplasty and percutaneous kyphoplasty both achieve rapid and significant improvement of back pain in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, but kyphoplasty shows a better effect in terms of vertebral body height restoration and cement leakage reduction.