Objective To investigate the long term clinical effect of unilateral and bilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) on the treatment of single segment osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).Methods A total of 95 patients with OVCFs were retrospectively investigated.Each patient completed Visual Assessment Score(VAS) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires preoperatively and follow-up to the endpoints postoperatively to assess the long term effect of unilateral and bilateral PVP.Patients underwent unilateral PVP (44 cases),whereas others underwent bilateral PVP (51 cases).Results VAS of immediate postoperative score (2.69 ± 0.55),(2.50 ± 0.39) and the last follow-up score (2.63 ± 0.46),(2.48 ± 0.32) in both techniques of PVP were significantly lower than the preoperative score (7.56 ± 0.73),(7.45 ± 0.54) (t =1.895,1.801,all P ＜ 0.01).However,VAS score at each time point in the unilateral PVP and bilateral PVP showed no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).The last follow-up SF-36 scores (84.92±2.88),(86.71 t 2.73) in unilateral PVP and bilateral PVP were significantly higher than the preoperative score (58.35 ± 2.69),(57.93 ± 2.45) (P ＜ 0.01).But each time point of the SF-36 scores in both groups showed no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).Unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty showed some advantages on operation time,radiation exposure and usage of bone cement.Meanwhile,the bone cement leakage and recurrence of OVCFs on the adjacent segment in the two groups presented no significance.Conclusion Both unilateraland bilateral PVP could benefit the long term outcome of OVCFs,with regard to the significant advantage of unilateral PVP on operation time,radiation exposure and usage of bone cement.

10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.25.001