Percutaneous vertebroplasty in the management of vertebral osteoporotic fractures. Short-term, mid-term and long-term follow-up of 285 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the short-term, mid-term and long-term follow-up of 285 patients who had undergone percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (VCF) in our department from 2003 to 2006, and, particularly, to analyse our data on the safety and the usefulness of PVP for durable pain reduction, mobility improvement and the need for analgesic drugs.


METHODS
Follow-up analysis was made through a questionnaire completed by the patients before and after PVP (1 week, 1 year and 3 years). The results are reported by subdivision of patients into groups (by gender, age and number of treated vertebrae), with special reference to pain management, drug administration and quality of life.


RESULTS
All patients (285) were followed up for 1 week, 186 for 12 months, and 68 patients were followed up for 3 years. One week after PVP all patients reported normal ambulation (with or without pain), and more than 95% were able to perform activities of daily living (ADL) either without pain or with mild pain. There was no difference in pain relief between the genders after 1 week's follow up, but after 3 years better analgesia results were observed in women. There was no statistically significant difference in the visual analogue scale (VAS) values before PVP between age groups (P = 0.7) and gender (P = 0.4); Patients younger than 75 years had better outcomes than did older ones (>75 years) at 1 week and 1 year follow up. Patients also reported significant reduction in drug therapy for pain.


CONCLUSIONS
PVP is a safe and useful procedure for the treatment of vertebral osteoporotic fractures. It produces enduring pain reduction, improves patients' mobility and decreases the need for analgesic drugs.
Masala
Salvatore
S
Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Interventional Radiology and Radiation Therapy, University Hospital of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. salva.masala@tiscali.it
Mammucari
Matteo
M
Angelopoulos
Georgios
G
Fiori
Roberto
R
Massari
Francesco
F
Faria
Skerdilajd
S
Simonetti
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*