Kyphosis correction after vertebroplasty in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive method of treating vertebral compression fractures aimed mainly at reduction of pain. It has been observed that fractured vertebral bodies filled in with cement might also influence the increase of their height and thus lead to reduction of post-traumatic spine kyphosis. The aim of the research was to assess the possibility of reducing the kyphotic deformation of operated spine through kyphosis measurement of vertebras adjacent to fracture. 24 patients underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty on account of compression fracture of 40 vertebral bodies in thoracic and lumbar regions. On digital x-ray spine images taken in patients before and after surgery the angle of kyphosis or lordosis of bodies above and below the fractured vertebra was measured with the use of the Cobb method. Vertebroplasty in the material examined caused reduction of kyphosis in 33 cases (80.48%) and correction by 5.78° on average. No regularity was found either between the occurrence of correction (and its level) and operated spine region or between the possibility of kyphosis correction and time that passed between fracture and surgery.