BACKGROUND:Vertebroplasty with bone cement injection can achieve a correction of kyphosis, enhancement of vertebral strength, and elimination of vertebral lesions during reduction of the fracture. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy of vertebroplasty with bone cement injection on osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. METHODS:Totaly 84 patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures (T6-L4), 37 males and 47 females, aged 58-80 years, were randomized into two groups: study group undergoing vertebroplasty with bone cement injection and control group subject to bed rest and conservative treatment (functional exercise of the back muscle). Visual analog scale score, Oswestry disability index and vertebral height were detected and compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There was no difference in vertebral height, visual analog scale score and Oswestry disability index between the two groups before treatment. At 3 months after treatment, the vertebral height was (1.653±0.168) cm in the study group and (1.521±0.200) cm in the control group, with a significant difference (P< 0.05). The visual analog scale scores and Oswestry disability index scores in the study group were both lower than those in the control group at 3 months after treatment and at the last folow-up (P < 0.05). After treatment, there were two cases of pressure sores, three cases of deep venous thrombosis, one case of pneumonia and two cases of urinary tract infections in the control group; while only 4 cases developed bone cement leakage in the study group, but with no obvious clinical symptoms. No difference in re-fracture rate occurred between the control group (n=3) and study group (n=4;P > 0.05). These findings suggest that the bone cement injection as vertebral augmentation therapy can rapidly relieve pain, improve patients' quality of life within a short term and restore the vertebral height in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.