ABSTRACT
Percutaneous vertebroplasty [PVP] is an interventional radiology technique where pathological vertebral bodies are filled with acrylic cement. This method is used to strengthen the vertebral body and reduce pain in certain diseases involving the vertebrae such as osteoporosis. To evaluate PVP in symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral fractures after failure of conservative management. Between November 2008 to December 2009, PVP was performed for osteoporotic vertebral fractures in 12 consecutive patients in a single institution. Medium term [3 days and 15 days post PVP] and long term follow up [1 month and 3 months post PVP] consisted in the evaluation of residual or secondary pain using Huskisson's visual analogue scale. A total of 20 vertebrae were treated. Mean follow up was 80 days [30-90 days]. Significant symptomatic improvement [p=0.002] was noted with pre PVP pain score of 7.4 [ +/- 1.6], 3 days post PVP score of 4.1 [ +/- 2.1], 15 days post PVP score of 1.8 [ +/- 1.1], 1 month post PVP score of 1.22 [ +/- 1.06] and 3 months post PVP score of 1.4 [ +/- 1.14]. PVP appears to be an effective technique in the treatment of symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral fractures with approximately 94% of satisfactory results in the short and medium term period