The effect of vertebroplasty on pulmonary function in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracic spine.

STUDY

DESIGN

Prospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of vertebroplasty on pulmonary function in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracic spine.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A percutaneous vertebroplasty is an excellent method for relieving pain and improving the quality of life in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracic spine. However, the effect of vertebroplasty on pulmonary functions in such patients has not been reported.

METHODS

This study included 72 patients (85 vertebrae) who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty for thoracic osteoporotic compression fractures (male/female, 10/62; mean age, 75.7±7.6 y). Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were conducted preoperatively on the study patients, and 2 days, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. PFT parameters [% predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (% pred FEV1), % predicted forced vital capacity (% pred FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio] were measured using a spirometer. A visual analogue scale (VAS) score, the thoracic kyphotic angles, and the local kyphotic angles were obtained before and after vertebroplasty to evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes. The correlations among variables (PFT parameters, age, gender, the number of vertebrae involved in the vertebroplasty, the change of thoracic kyphotic angles, the change of local kyphotic angles, and the VAS scores) were analyzed.

RESULTS

The preoperative and postoperative (2 d, 1 mo, and 3 mo) PFT parameters were as follows: % pred FVC, 58±23.8, 71.8±22.2, 75.4±21.4, and 76±22.1; % pred FEV1, 58.3±24.3, 66.1±23.7, 67.5±24.2, and 68±24.5; FEV1/FVC ratio (%), 101.2±17.8, 91.3±15.5, 88.8±15.2, and 88.6±14.2, respectively. The preoperative mean VAS score was 7.93±1.5 and significantly decreased to 3.15±1.59, 1.76±1.26, and 1.67±1.23 at 2 days, 1 month, and 3 months after the vertebroplasty, respectively. There were no significant differences in the thoracic and local kyphotic angles after the vertebroplasty compared with the preoperative values. The decrease in the VAS scores and age correlated with the PFT parameters; however, there were no significant correlations between the PFT parameters and other variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Vertebroplasty improved pulmonary function immediately after the procedure in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracic spine, and this improvement correlated with pain relief.