Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device
Published on: November 8, 2024
Osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures: long-term retrospective comparison between vertebroplasty and
Konstantinos Martikos1, Tiziana Greggi2, Cesare Faldini2
1Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via Pupilli 1, 40136, Bologna, Italy. kostasmartikos@gmail.com.
Purpose:
To compare long term clinical and radiographic outcomes in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine treated with conservative treatment and percutaneous vertebroplasty.
Methods:
The retrospective study with inclusion criteria focused on osteoporotic fractures of the thoracolumbar junction (T10-L2). Clinical outcomes were evaluated by using the VAS, Oswestry and SF36 questionnaires. Radiographic outcomes were evaluated by comparing the following sagittal parameters: body angle, sagittal index of fractured vertebral body and adjacent vertebral segments kyphosis. Complications in terms of adjacent vertebral fractures and cement leakage are reported.
Results:
Percutaneous vertebroplasty provided better vertebral body height restoration, but was associated with a higher incidence of adjacent fractures (20%) than conservative treatment (3.5%). This fact may explain why patients treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty had worse overall kyphotic alignment at final follow-up. Cement leakage was frequent, but always asymptomatic and generally no serious complications occurred.
Conclusions:
Percutaneous vertebroplasty represents a safe treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, although it may be associated with a higher incidence of adjacent fractures and therefore worse thoracolumbar kyphosis and long-term follow-up than conservative treatment. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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