Quality of Life in Patients Following Vertebroplasty

AIM: To examine the quality of life in patients who underwent vertebroplasty treatment and compare it to the preoperative quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: The Cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research included 50 patients under stationary treatment in hospital at the Department of Orthopaedics. The research instruments include a questionnaire containing demographic data and the standardised EuroQuol Research Foundation Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) consisting of five dimensions which include mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain level and anxiety. RESULTS: The average score of the current health status before surgery was 67.5 whereas post-operative health was rated 80 (p < 0.001). After the procedure, a significantly higher number of respondents reported greater mobility levels, and lower pain intensity; fewer respondents reported feeling anxious or depressed (p < 0.001), more respondents rated their self-care abilities higher (p = 0.003), and felt improvements when performing usual activities (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: After the vertebroplasty, a significantly higher number of respondents reported higher levels of mobility, lower pain or discomfort levels, and a smaller number of respondents felt anxious or depressed, more respondents felt they can take better care of themselves, and are better at performing usual activities when compared to the preoperative status.