Percutaneous vertebroplasty for intravertebral cleft: analysis of therapeutic effects and outcome predictors

To investigate the short-term therapeutic effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for intravertebral cleft (IVC) and to analyze possible outcome predictors.

After retrospective review of spot radiographs during PVP, 23 patients were included in this study. Age, sex, symptom duration, functional status, injected cement volume, and type of approach were evaluated using patients' medical and operative records. The following factors were analyzed on radiographs, MRI, dual bone densitometry, spot radiographs during PVP, and CT: anatomical location of the fracture, bone mineral density, morphology of the fracture, IVC morphology, presence of surrounding non-enhanced area and bone marrow edema, degeneration of adjacent discs, co-existing old compression fractures, patterns of cement opacification, pre-procedural kyphosis, and post-procedural kyphosis correction. Effectiveness was defined as a much-improved state or no pain after 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between those factors and therapeutic outcome using Fisher's exact test, Chi-squared test, and the Mann-Whitney U test.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty of IVC was effective in 16 out of 23 (69.6%) patients after 1 week and 1 month and 15 out of 23 (65.2%) patients after 2 months. Post-procedural kyphosis correction >or=5 and poor functional status (full dependency) were more common in the ineffective group after 1 week and 2 months respectively (P = 0.047, P = 0.02). Kyphotic correction >or=5 was related to pre-procedural kyphosis >or=15 (P = 0.018). Functional status was related to subsequent fracture (P = 0.005). Other factors were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Percutaneous vertebroplasty on osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCF) with IVC was effective in only about 69.6% of patients after the first week and month and in 65.2% of patients after 2 months. Post-procedural kyphosis correction >or=5 was associated with poor outcomes after the first week. Two months after PVP, the functional status was more important because of the development of subsequent fractures.