ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the efficacy of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and carbonated hydroxyapatite cement (CHC) as augmenting biomaterials in the treatment of osteoporosis vertebral compression fractures subsequent to osteoporosis. Methods 58 patients of osteoporosis with vertebral compression fractures were treated with the following methods: vertebroplasty+PMMA (11 cases, 13 vertebra), vertebroplasty+CHC (23 cases, 26 vertebrae), kyphoplasty+PMMA (8 cases, 8 vertebrae), and kyphoplasty+ CHC (16 cases, 19 vertebrae). The height loss and kyphotic angle of vertebral compression fractures were respectively measured from preoperative and postoperative lateral X-ray films, and with them the restored height ratio and kyphosis angle ratio were calculated. Both preoperation and postoperation pain scores were evaluated by Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results No complication was found in all the patients. The restored ratio of both vertebra heights and kyphotic angles by kyphoplasty was better than that by vertebroplasty. There was no difference of filling volume in all the groups. The operation time of vertebroplasty was significantly shorter than that of kyphoplasty. There was no difference in preoperative VAS scores. The VAS scores of PMMA groups were better than that of CHC groups, but the difference was not obvious 4 weeks after operation. Conclusion Vertebral augmentation was a minimally invasive, safe and effective method for the treatment of osteoporosis vertebral compression fractures in patients with osteoporosis. The treatment modality and filling biomaterials should be selected according to the patients' condition.