[Clinical and radiologic assessment of vertebroplasty].
BACKGROUND
Percutaneous vertebroplasty consists of the injection of acrylic cement into weakened vertebral bodies to achieve pain relief and mechanical stability of the spine.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the characteristics and effectiveness of the vertebroplasties performed at the Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet in Zaragoza.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study of 147 vertebroplasties performed in 95 patients (60 women and 35 men; age range: 19 to 84 years). The oblique transpedicular approach, which achieves adequate cement injection with a single puncture, is currently used. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain before and after the procedure.


RESULTS
The osseous lesion most often treated by vertebroplasty is fracture secondary to osteoporosis, accounting for 65% of the cases in this series, followed by hemangiomas (23%), and osteolytic metastases, traumatic fractures, lymphomas, and myelomas. Prior to vertebroplasty, the mean VAS score was 8.88 versus 2.78 after the treatment. Only 7.3% of the patients had symptomatic complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Vertebroplasty is safe and efficacious; it is the treatment of choice for vertebral pain refractory to medication. It enables patients to return to their habitual lifestyle quickly and thus helps reduce hospital stays and costs.
Franco
C
C
Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Sección de Neurorradiología, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España. cfranco@seram.org
Izquierdo
B
B
Crespo
A Ma
AM
Angulo
E
E
Barrena
R
R
Guelbenzu
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001843:Bone Cements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*
D001843:Bone Cements; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate