Percutaneous vertebroplasty for patients with osteoporosis: a one-year follow-up

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in height and wedge angle of treated vertebral bodies and kyphosis angle 1 year after vertebroplasty. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed radiographs of 95 vertebral bodies treated with vertebroplasty in 60 patients with osteoporosis. Only vertebral bodies with imaging evidence of a new fracture or avascular necrosis received vertebroplasty. Images were obtained for evaluation before vertebroplasty (B), within 2 weeks after vertebroplasty (T), and after 1 year (T1). RESULTS: The mean wedge angle decreased by 5.4 degrees from B to T1. Mean of the anterior, central, and posterior heights of the fractured bodies increased by 12.6%, 9.6%, and 3.1%, respectively, from B to T1. The kyphosis angle improved by 3.2 degrees initially from B to T, but the improvement later disappeared. In 48% of these patients, a new fracture developed after vertebroplasty, and 63% of the fractures were adjacent to a vertebroplasty-treated vertebral body. CONCLUSION: The increase in height and wedge angle of the vertebral bodies generally lasted at least 1 year. Improvement in kyphosis angles was lost 1 year after vertebroplasty because new fractures occurred in 48% of these patients. Prevention of new fractures after vertebroplasty remains an important task.