Clinical efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty versus percutaneous kyphoplasty treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with kyphosis

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) with kyphosis.Methods The clinical data included 63 patients in the PVP group and 70 in the PKP group. The study assessed the pain visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), wedge angle (WA), local kyphotic angle (LKA), and vertebral height.Results The operative time was significantly less in the PVP group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, more bone cement was injected into the PKP group (p < 0.05), with significantly higher surgical costs (p > 0.05). Post-operative VAS, ODI, WA, LKA, and vertebral height were significantly improved in PVP and PKP groups compared with pre-operative measurements (p < 0.05). The results revealed insignificant VAS and ODI improvement differences between the two groups at each follow-up time (p > 0.05). Vertebral height, WA, and LKA improved more significantly in the PKP group at day 1 and 3 months post-operatively (p < 0.05), with insignificant group differences at subsequent time points (p > 0.05). The improvements in VAS were unrelated to those in WA, LKA, or vertebral height in either group (p > 0.05). The improvement in VAS was unrelated to the amount of bone cement injected (p > 0.05); the PKP group demonstrated a lower incidence of cement leakage (12.9%; p < 0.05).Conclusion PVP and PKP can restore partial vertebral height and improve kyphosis with similar clinical outcomes. PVP has a shorter operating time, is more economical, and can represent a therapeutic choice.