Minimal-invasive augmentation techniques have been advocated to treat osteoporotic vertebral body fractures (VBFs). Kyphoplasty is designed to address both fracture-related pain as well as the kyphotic deformity usually associated with the fracture. Previous studies have indicated the potential of the technique for immediate pain relief and reduction of vertebral height, but whether this is a lasting effect, has not been well investigated. The current prospective study reports on our experience and the one-year results in 27 kyphoplasty procedures in 24 patients with PMMA for osteoporotic VBFs.

Pain was assessed on a 0–10 VAS. Deformity and reduction of the vertebral body was measured as the angulation between the two endplates on standing lateral radiographs. All parameters were taken pre-op, one day and two months post-operatively and after one year. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the importance of independent factors as predictors of the achieved fracture reduction.

All but one patient experienced pain relief directly following the procedure with a lasting effect after 2 months and also one year in 25 cases. An average vertebral kyphosis reduction of 47.7% was achieved with no loss of reduction after one year. Pain relief was not related to the amount of reduction. The potential for reduction was related to pre-op kyphosis, level treated, and fracture age, but not to the age of the patient.

In this series, kyphoplasty was an effective treatment of VBFs in terms of pain relief and durable reduction of deformity. However, whether spinal realignment results in an improved long-term clinical outcome remains to be investigated.