BACKGROUND: Vertebral compression fracture is common in osteoporosis, but can also occur due to bone metastases, for which current treatment options are limited and include bone-strengthening with cement and supportive care. Kyphoplasty is a surgical method of bone augmentation that can reduce pain, stabilize vertebral bone, and restore some or all of the vertebral body height. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical results of balloon kyphoplasty in the correction of vertebral deformity due to metastatic vertebral compression fracture.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective clinical study included 72 patients (82 vertebral bodies) with metastases resulting in vertebral compression fracture, treated by percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty; 9 patients were found incidentally to have vertebral metastases. Bone mineral density (BMD) levels were measured. Patient responses from questionnaires, including the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain intensity, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for disability, were scored. The local kyphosis angle (KA) and the vertebral height ratio (VHR) were measured. All patients were followed up for 12 months. The initial postoperative and 12-month postoperative values, and the preoperative and postoperative values were compared.

RESULTS: Following balloon kyphoplasty, the KA, VHR, VAS, and ODI scores significantly improved at the final 12-month follow-up compared with preoperative levels (p<0.05, and p<0.001). There was cement leakage in 6 procedures (8.3%) and adjacent segment fracture in 11 procedures (15.2%).

CONCLUSIONS: Balloon kyphoplasty was an effective method to reduce pain, reduce disability, and improve quality of life by eliminating kyphotic deformity in pathological vertebral compression fractures due to vertebral metastases.

Keywords: kyphoplasty, Spinal Fractures