OBJECTIVETo compare clinical outcomes of bilateral transpedicular balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of ordinary osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture (OVCF) and severe osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture.

METHODSFrom Junary 2009 to Febuary 2011, 60 patients (70 vertebrae) with osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture were included. All patients were treated by bilateral transpedicular balloon kyphoplasty combined with postural reduction, including 10 males and 50 females aged from 59 to 90 years old with an average of 72.1 years old. In ordinary osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture group, there were 38 patients (44 vertebrae) including 7 males and 31 females aged from 59 to 87 years old with an average of (71.8±6.1) years old. There were 6 patients with two vertebral fractures, 1 vertebra in T9, 5 vertebrae in T10, 7 vertebrae in T11, 13 vertebrae in T12, 9 vertebrae in L1, 4 vertebrae in L2, 4 vertebrae in L3, 1 vertebra in L4. While in severe osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture group, there were 22 patients (26 vertebrae) including 3 males and 19 females aged from 63 to 90 years old with an average of (72.6±7.2) years old. There were 4 patients with two vertebral fractures, 1 vertebra in T9, 2 vertebrae in T10, 3 vertebrae in T11, 9 vertebrae in T12, 6 vertebrae in L1, 3 vertebrae in L2, 2 vertebrae in L3. Operative time, volume of bone cement injection, and vertebral height and changes of Cobb angle before and after operation were observed and compared. Postoperative average recovery rate of vertebral height and correct degree of Cobb angle were caculated and compared, VAS scoring were used to evaluate therapeutic effect.

RESULTSAll operations were completed sucessfully, and pain were relieved at 72 h after operation. All patients were followed up from 6 to 13 months with an average of 10.1 months. Postoperative vertebral height, Cobb angle and VAS score were improved better than that of before operation (P<0.05). Operative time in ordinary group was shorter than severe group, while volume of bone cement injection was more than that of severe group. Average recovery rate of vertebral height and correct degree of Cobb angle in ordinarty group was better than that of in severe group (P<0.05). There was no significant differences between two groups in VAS scores before and after operation (P> 0.05). Three cases (3 vertebrae) ocurred bone cement leakage in ordinarty group, while 5 cases (5 vertebrae) ocurred bone cement leakage in severe group, and there was no meaning between two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONKyphoplasty could receive satisfied curative effect in treating ordinary and servere patients with osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture, but recovery of vertebral height and correct degree of Cobb angle in ordinary gourp was better than that of in servere group.