Effectiveness of percutaneous vertebroplasty in cases of vertebral metastases

Abstract

Purpose and objectives: To assess the effectiveness of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) in patients with vertebral collapse due to metastases.Materials and methods: PV procedures performed on 95 vertebras in 52 patients with primary malignancy were retrospectively evaluated. Vertebral metastases, primary malignancies of the patients, pain before and after PV on a visual analogue scale (VAS), amount of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement applied to the vertebral body during PV, PMMA cement leakage and vertebral approaches were evaluated.Results: VAS scores of 43 patients (in total 79 vertebras) were evaluated. Median VAS scores of patients declined from 8 (4-10) before PV to 3 (0-7) within one day after the procedure, to 2 (0-9) one week after the procedure and eventually to 2 (0-9) 3 months after the procedure (p < 0.001). PMMA amount applied to the vertebral body during PV varied between 1.5-9 mL (average +/- SD 4.91 +/- 1.61). There was no significant statistical correlation between PMMA amounts and VAS scores within one day after, 1 week after and 3 months after the PV procedure (p > 0.05).Conclusion: PV is a simple, effective, reliable, easy to perform and minimally invasive procedure in patients with painful vertebral metastases.