ABSTRACT
Objective To study the results of percutaneous kyphoplasty(PKP) in treating subtle fracture of osteoporotic vertebral body,and to explore the clinical value of PKP in patients with subtle fracture of osteoporotic vertebral body.Methods 52 thoracical vertebral bodies of 35 patients with subtle fracture of osteoporotic vertebral body.Nineteen patients with 30 vertebrae were assigned to group 1 treated by PKP,and sixteen patients with 22 vertebrae were assigned to group 2 treated by conservative therapy.The patients were examined after surgery to ascertain the alleviation of the pain and evaluate the patients' life quality,measuring the heights of vertebrae on the lateral plain films during follow-up.Results Surgery was successful in all cases,no serious complications occurred with PVP.Pain relief was obtained in all of group 1,pain still remained in all 16 patients of group 2 at 1 week after conservative treatment.Improvement was significantly greater in the group 1 than in group 2 at1 week,1 month,3 months,6 months,but no difference at 12 months after treatment (P ＞ 0.05 ).According to ADL,the patients' life quality scores,improvement was significantly greater in the group 1 than in group 2 at1 week,1 month,3 months,6 months,but no difference at 12 months after treatment(P ＞ 0.05 ).The height of the veterbral body showed significant difference at 12 months of follow( P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion PKP was an effective and safe procedure for treating subtle fracture of osteoporotic vertebral body.PKP has satisfactory analgesic effect on subtle fracture of osteoporotic vertebral body and improve quality of patients' life.PKP could effectively prevent collapse of veterbral body.