Evaluation of the analgesic effect of vertebral cancellous bone infiltration anaesthesia during vertebroplasty

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic effect of vertebral cancellous bone infiltration anaesthesia during percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). METHODS: Patients treated with vertebral cancellous bone infiltration anaesthesia (intervention group) or local anaesthesia alone (control group) during PVP at our institution during 2016–2018 were reviewed. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score before the operation, during establishment of the puncture channel, during pressure changes in the vertebral body (e.g., when removing or inserting pushers or needle cores), during bone cement injection, immediately after the operation, and at 2 h and 1 day postoperatively were compared between the groups. The patient’s satisfaction with the operation was recorded and compared between groups. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients were enrolled (59 cases in the intervention group and 53 cases in the control group). There was no difference in the VAS score between the groups before the operation or during establishment of the intraoperative puncture channel (P > 0.05). The VAS score in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group during pressure changes in the vertebral body (removal or insertion of puncture needle cores or pushers) and bone cement injection (P < 0.05). Immediately after the operation and at 2 h postoperatively, the pain in the intervention group was also significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the groups at 1 day postoperatively (P > 0.05). The patient satisfaction rate was 88% (52/59) in the intervention group and 67% (35/53) in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral cancellous bone infiltration anaesthesia may effectively relieve intraoperative pain and improve the surgical experience of patients without affecting the clinical effect of surgery.