Percutaneous vertebroplasty--initial clinical experience in osteoporotic and myelomatous compression fractures.

BACKGROUND

To review the clinical impact of vertebroplasty in osteoporotic and myelomatous compression fractures

METHODS

Eleven compression fractures in eight patients were treated by percutaneous cement vertebroplasty over a three-year period, May 2000 to May 2003.

RESULTS

Successful percutaneous stabilisation and cement injection was performed in all compression fractures. In five of eight patients (eight of eleven compression fractures) injection of cement yielded dramatic reduction in pain within 24 hours of the procedure.

CONCLUSION

Preliminary experience suggests that percutaneous cement vertebroplasty is an effective well tolerated method of stabilisation of spinal wedge compression fractures resulting in dramatic reduction in associated pain in most cases.