title: Unilateral versus bilateral vertebroplasty for severe osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.
abstract: METHODS
  This was a prospective study of patients who underwent vertebroplasty (VP) at a single institute.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess and compare the clinical outcomes and complications of unilateral and bilateral VP in treating severe vertebral compression fractures.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Typically, VP involves cement injection by bilateral transpedicular or extrapedicular approach. Recently, several articles reported that unilateral VP can achieve comparable outcomes in most cases. However, few prospective randomized studies compared the clinical outcomes and complications in treating severe vertebral compression fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine patients with 44 severe osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) were randomly allocated into 2 groups adopting unilateral or bilateral VP. Preoperative and postoperative pain scores, back disability, and cement leakage were recorded and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvement on the visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores were noted in each group, and there were no significant differences between the 2 groups. Cement leakage was seen more in bilateral VP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe OVCFs should be candidates for VP. The unilateral VP can get the same clinical results with fewer complications compared with the bilateral VP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taizhou People's Hospital, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Chunmao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chunming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000601:surgery*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements