Clinical Comparison of Low and High Injection Volumes of High-viscosity Bone Cement Used in Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Abstract

Objective To compare the clinical effects of different injection volumes of high-viscosity bone cement (polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA) used in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) on the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). Methods A total of 44 patients with OVCF, who underwent PVP in our neurosurgery clinic, were retrospectively reviewed. Data of the patients were obtained from electronic patient records. Patients were divided into two groups, each consisting of 22 patients, based on the injection volume of PMMA: low-volume (Group 1) and high-volume (Group 2). Group 1 received ≤4 mL (3–4 mL) PMMA whereas Group 2 received >4 mL (4.5–6 mL) PMMA. Both groups were compared in terms of age, gender, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, length of stay (LoS) in the hospital, and preoperative anterior vertebral height (AVH). Results There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of age, gender, LoS, and preoperative AVH. Postoperative first-month, sixth-month, and first-year VAS and ODI scores were observed to be significantly improved in both groups compared to the preoperative period. However, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of preoperative and postoperative VAS and ODI scores. Conclusion The PMMA volumes of 3–4 mL and 4.5–6 mL applied in the present study have been observed to have good and similar effects in the treatment of OVCF.

Keywords

• compression fractures
• osteoporosis
• polymethylmethacrylate
• vertebroplasty