Efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with painful vertebral metastases: A retrospective study in 47 cases.
OBJECTIVE
This study was to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in treating vertebral metastases, focusing on the related intractable pain and operative complications including cement leakage, cardiopulmonary dysfunction, dysneuria, etc.


METHODS
Forty-seven patients with spinal metastatic tumours who underwent PVP between September 2011 and March 2013 in the hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Pain scores on one day before the surgery, on one day after the surgery and at the end of the follow-up were recorded using VAS. The VAS scores were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank-sum test using SPSS 19.0. The distribution and leakage of PMMA and complications (cardiopulmonary dysfunction, dysneuria, etc.) were evaluated by CT and plain film.


RESULTS
PVP in all patients was successful. The preoperative mean value of VAS and the postoperative mean value of VAS showed statistical difference (8.4 ± 1.4 and 3.1 ± 2.3 respectively). At the end of follow-up, the mean value of VAS was 3.4 ± 1.9. Bone cement leakage was observed in 35 vertebrae. Among the cases with bone cement leakage, one case showed the related complication (radiating pain in left limb) and was relieved after treatment of dexamethasone and analgesia for one week; the others did not present any related complication.


CONCLUSIONS
With some limitations in the study, PVP appeared to be an alternative method to treat painful spine metastases.
Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Sichuan Medical Science Academy, China. Electronic address: xiepingmed@163.com.
Ping
P
Xie
Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Sichuan Medical Science Academy, China. Electronic address: zhaoyuan161@163.com.
Yuan
Y
Zhao
Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Sichuan Medical Science Academy, China.
Gang
G
Li
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D013131:Spine / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014147:Tramadol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D001843:Bone Cements; D014147:Tramadol
Bone cement leakage; Polymethyl methacrylate; Vertebral metastasis; Vertebroplasty