Vertebral body height changes in acute symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures treated with vertebral cement augmentation. Which factors affect vertebral body height?

Abstract Changes in vertebral body height depend on various factors which were analyzed in isolation and not as a whole. The aim of this study is to analyze what factors might influence restoration of vertebral body height after vertebral augmentation. We analyzed 48 patients (108 vertebrae) with osteoporotic vertebral fractures underwent vertebral augmentation when conservative treatment proved unsatisfactory. Analyses were carried out at the time of the fracture, during surgery (pre-cementation and post-cementation), at first medical check-up (6 weeks post-surgery) and at last medical check-up. Average vertebral height was measured and differences from preoperative values calculated at each timepoint. Pearson correlation coefficient and linear multivariable regression were carried out at the different timepoints. The time since vertebral fracture was 60.4 ± 41.7 days. Patients’ average age was 70.9 ± 9.3-years. The total follow-up was 1.43 ± 1-year. After vertebral cementation there was an increase in vertebral body height of + 0.3cm (13.6%). During post-operative follow-up, there was a progressive collapse of the vertebral body and pre-surgical height was reached. The factors that most influenced vertebral height restoration were: grade III collapse, intervertebral-vacuum-cleft (IVVC), and use of a flexible trocar before cement augmentation. The factor that negatively influenced vertebral body height restoration was location in the thoracolumbar spine.