Acute osteoporotic vertebral collapse: Open study on percutaneous injection of acrylic surgical cement in 20 patients

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of percutane ous vertebroplasty in treating painful spinal osteoporotic collapse. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Twenty-three cases of vertebral collapse were evaluat ed with CT and MR imaging to determine osteoporotic origin and recent evolu tion. Percutaneous vertebroplasties were performed using CT guidance. The 2 0 patients included in the study (17 women, 3 men; 62-92 years old) had acu te pain of less than 1 month's duration that hindered ambulation and requir ed treatment with narcotic drugs. They underwent this procedure for analges ic purposes. The analogic visual scale of Huskisson was used for pain when scoring assessment. RESULTS. In 15 patients (75%), pain relief was complete within 24 hr after injection. Analgesic administration was stopped in 14 patients. Mild pain p ersisted in three (15%) of the remaining five patients. In one other patien t (5%), crural pain was observed with cement leakage in the psoas muscle. I n the fifth patient (5%), pain recurred after the patient was lifted. The p ain was related to a new acute collapse of an adjacent vertebrae. CONCLUSION. Vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral coll apse is a minimally invasive procedure that provides immediate pain relief and enables the patient to become quickly mobile.