RESUMO
Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of unilateral and bilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in the treatment of type IIIA acute symptomatic osteoporotic lumbar fracture (ASOLF).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 117 patients with type IIIA ASOLF admitted to Honghui Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from April 2016 to February 2018, including 32 males and 85 females, aged 60 to 88 years [(68.3±5.7)years]. Injury segments were located at L 1 in 35 patients, at L 2 in 38, at L 3 in 26 and at L 4 in 18. All patients were treated with PKP. A total of 61 patients were treated using the midpoint of the transverse process-articular process displacement as the puncture point (unilateral puncture group) and 56 patients were treated using the traditional "2" point and "10" point as the puncture point (bilateral puncture group). The operation time, amount of radiation exposure of patients and surgeons and bone cement injection volume were compared between the two groups. The Cobb angle, height of anterior edge of injured vertebrae, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared before operation, at day 1 after operation and at the final follow-up. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were observed. Results:All patients were followed up for 24-35 months [(26.3±4.7)months]. The operation time and amount of radiation exposure of patients were (20.4±5.6)minutes and (1.08±0.44)mSv in unilateral puncture group, significantly different from (37.5±9.2)minutes and (2.24±0.58)mSv in bilateral puncture group (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in amount of radiation exposure of surgeons and bone cement injection volume between the two groups (all P>0.05). In unilateral puncture group and bilateral puncture group, the Cobb angle of fractured vertebrae at day 1 after operation [(22.4±10.7)°, (23.4±11.1)°] and at the final follow-up [(24.3±8.3)°, (23.5±9.5)°] was significantly decreased from that before operation [(29.6±9.7)°, (30.6±12.9)°] (all P<0.01); the height of anterior edge of injured vertebrae at day 1 after operation [(80.4±12.6)%, (78.8±11.9)%] and at the final follow-up [(79.3±10.7)%, (77.4±11.2)%] was significantly increased from that before operation [(65.7±6.3)%, (66.4±9.7)%] (all P<0.01); the VAS at day 1 after operation [(2.1±0.5)points, (2.3±1.1)points] and at the final follow-up [(1.9±0.8)points, (2.0±0.6)points] was significantly decreased from that before operation [(7.1±0.7)points, (7.2±0.9)points] (all P<0.01); the ODI at day 1 after operation (21.1±9.7, 22.9±7.9) and at the final follow-up (18.5±4.6, 19.8±9.4) was significantly decreased from that before operation (72.7±4.5, 73.1±3.7) (all P<0.01). While the above four parameters between the two groups had no significant differences at each time point, with no significant differences within each group at day 1 after operation and at the final follow-up (all P>0.05). There were 13 patients [21% (13/61)] with cement leakage in unilateral puncture group as compared to 18 patients [29% (18/56)] in bilateral puncture group ( P<0.05). There were 4 patients [7% (4/61)] with adjacent vertebral fracture in unilateral puncture group, similar to 5 patients [9% (5/56)] in bilateral puncture group ( P>0.05). The lower back pain caused by facet injury were noted in 8 patients [14% (8/56)] in bilateral puncture group who were relieved after 1 month of non-surgical treatment, but none occurred in unilateral puncture group ( P<0.01). Conclusions:Unilateral and bilateral PKP can obtain satisfactory clinical efficacy in the treatment of type IIIA ASOLF, but the former has advantages of shorter operation time, less radiation exposure and lower incidence of bone cement leakage and facet injury.