Early Balloon Kyphoplasty Across Different Age Groups in Elderly Patients With Vertebral Compression Fractures: A Retrospective Study From a Tertiary Center

BACKGROUND: Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are common, particularly in elderly patients. VCFs are often associated with significant pain, functional impairment, and spinal deformity. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of early balloon kyphoplasty across age groups. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed patients treated with early balloon kyphoplasty for VCFs at a tertiary hospital from 2015 to 2024. Early balloon kyphoplasty was defined as surgical treatment performed within 7 days of radiological diagnosis of an acute osteoporotic VCF. Patients were divided into 2 age groups: those younger than 80 years (group A) and those 80 years or older (group B). Data collected included time to diagnosis, time to surgery, total hospital stay, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, complication rates, and visual analog scale score. Radiological outcomes were assessed using the Beck Index. Rates of cement leakage, re-fracture, and adjacent fracture were also evaluated. Cement leakage, re-fracture, and adjacent fracture rates were comparable between the 2 groups. Minor complications differed between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective cohort, early balloon kyphoplasty was associated with significant improvements in pain and vertebral body restoration in elderly patients with osteoporotic VCFs, with similar short-term trajectories in patients aged <80 and ≥80 years. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Comparable short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes were observed between patients <80 and ≥80 years, suggesting that advanced age alone may not preclude consideration of early balloon kyphoplasty in appropriately selected patients.