Clinical evaluation of the use of kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic fractures of the spine

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinically the patients with vertebral osteoporotic fracture treated by kyphoplasty. METHODOLOGY: Study conducted between January 2008 and July 2011, 21 patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture with time course than four weeks and failed medical therapy, who had pain at the fracture site and edema bone at magnetic resonance imaging. The clinical evaluation of patients was performed preoperatively and at six months postoperatively by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disabity Index (ODI) functional assessment. Results: The assessment by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) showed reduction of 7.5 points on average, with the preoperative value of 8.81 to 1.24 postoperatively. Regarding Disabity Oswestry Index (ODI), there was significant improvement in quality of life of patients, with 61.3% functional increase. There was no difference in the outcome of the initial and final treatment of both sexes, and VAS and ODI similar between in two groups. There was complication in two cases with extravasation of cement without clinical and / or neurological deficit. Conclusion: Kyphoplasty has proven safe and effective in reducing pain and improving the quality of life in patients with vertebral osteoporotic fracture.