title: Comparative analysis of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.
abstract: METHODS
  A retrospective study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and outcome of vertebroplasty compared with unipedicular and bipedicular kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in terms of pain, functional capacity and height restoration rates.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The vertebroplasty procedure was first performed in 1984 for the treatment of a hemangioma at the C2 vertebra. Kyphoplasty was first performed in 1998 and includes vertebral height restoration in addition to using inflation balloons and high-viscosity cement. Both are efficacious, safe and long-lasting procedures. However, controversy still exists about pain relief, improvement in functional capacity, quality of life and height restoration the superiority of these procedures and assessment of appropriate and specific indications of one over the other remains undefined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2004 and 2011, 296 patients suffering from osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture underwent 433 vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures. Visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and height restoration rates were used to evaluate the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean height restoration rate was 24.16%±1.27% in the vertebroplasty group, 24.25%±1.28% in the unipedicular kyphoplasty group and 37.05%±1.21% in the bipedicular kyphoplasty group. VAS and ODI scores improved all of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are both effective in providing pain relief and improvement in functional capacity and quality of life after the procedure, but the bipedicular kyphoplasty procedure has a further advantage in terms of height restoration when compared to unipedicular kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokmen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kahilogullari
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Pamukkale University School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mevci
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozgural
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sukru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caglar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ates
keywords: Kyphoplasty; Osteoporosis; Spine; Vertebral column; Vertebral compression fractures; Vertebroplasty