ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To find out the characteristics and the risk factors of adjacent vertebral compression fracture after percutaneous vertebroplasty. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is regarded as more effective treatment than conservative care, but additional fracture could cause complications during follow up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 43 patients who had only one vertebral compression fracture after one vertebroplasty. The number of patients who had additional compression fracture within one level from the operated vertebra were 23 cases (Group I); beyond two levels from the operated vertebra were 20 cases (Group II). We compared the onset period of additional compression fracture, the degree of osteoporosis, age, level, restoration of vertebral body height and kyphosis between the two groups. RESULTS: The onset period of additional compression fracture was 18.7+/-28.1 months in Group I and 42.7+/-39.4 months in Group II, showing significant difference between the two groups. Group I had more cases of previous vertebroplasty on thoraco-lumbar vertebra than Group II. The restoration rate of vertebral body height of Group I was 42.3+/-40.9% and that of Group II was 22.8+/-21.6%, which shows significant difference between the two. CONCLUSION: Adjacent vertebral compression fracture after vertebroplasty can occur earlier than non adjacent one. We need to pay attention to the patients who had higher restoration rate of vertebral body height after vertebroplsty as they are more prone to having additional adjacent compression fracture.