Effect of percutaneous kyphoplasty in the treatment of elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures

Objective: To study the clinical efficacy, blood loss, pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores of elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures under the treatment of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). Methods: Eighty elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures were divided into two groups by a random number table method with 40 cases in each group. The control group received percutaneous vertebroplasty and the study group was treated with PKP. The clinical efficacy and blood loss of the two treatments were compared. The visual analogue scale (VAS), vertebral body height, Cobb angle, posterior edge height, midline height, anterior edge height, ODI score and Basel index (BI) score of the two groups were compared. Results: The healing rate of the study group increased significantly after treatment (P < 0.05). Besides, in the study group, the operation time was significantly shortened, the blood loss during surgery significantly reduced, and the VAS score significantly reduced compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05). The vertebral height, Cobb angle, posterior edge height, midline height, and anterior edge height of the study group were significantly better than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The ODI score of the study group was significantly reduced, and the BI index score was significantly increased compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: PKP had achieved good clinical results in treating elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures, which reduced blood loss and relieved pain. PKP also improved the front edge height of the vertebral body and correct kyphosis of the vertebral body, and reduced the ODI score and improved the BI score.