VERTEBROPLASTY IN THE TREATMENT OF VERTEBRAL FRACTURES CAUSED BY PLASMACYTOMA

The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate clinical results before and after vertebroplasty in the treatment of myeloma-induced vertebral fractures. Success of the surgery was defined by increased or reduced pain intensity before and after the treatment, as assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). The study was designed as a retrospective-prospective study. The study included 26 patients, 14 women and 12 men. Data on patients treated for myeloma-induced vertebral fractures were collected at the Department of Orthopedics, Osijek University Hospital Centre. The following data were analyzed: gender, duration of illness, intensity of pain before and after treatment (using VAS), radiological changes before and after treatment, grade of vertebral fracture, and extracorporeal cement leakage from the vertebral body to the surrounding tissue during the procedure. Difference in pain intensity before and after the surgery was statistically significant. All patients complained of pain before the surgery (pain intensity median 8), whereas after the surgery, pain intensity decreased in all patients (pain intensity median 2). In conclusion, improvement in clinical results of the treatment of myeloma-induced vertebral fractures with vertebroplasty proved to be significant.