Effectiveness and reliability of cannulated fenestrated screws augmented with polymethylmethacrylate cement in the surgical treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures

BACKGROUND: Implants' stability, especially in osteoporosis patients, is a challenging matter. Nowadays, the adoption of cannulated fenestrated screws augmented with polymethylmethacrylate cement (PMMA CSF) is described by some authors. This single-center, retrospective observational study aims to evaluate the long-term effectiveness, reliability, and mechanical performances of this type of screws in osteoporotic fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the patients surgically treated from January 2009 to December 2019 with PMMA CSF were evaluated and submitted to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Clinical and radiological evaluations were performed at pre- and post-surgery time and at the follow-up (FU). Loss of correction in the sagittal plane (bisegmental Cobb angle), kyphosis angle of the fracture (fractured vertebral angle), loosening of pedicle screws (screw's apex vertebral body's anterior cortex mean gap called SAAC gap and screw's apex vertebral body's superior endplate mean gap called SASE gap), visual analog scale, and Oswestry disability index scores were evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-three patients (58 males and 105 females) aged over 65 years affected by vertebral osteoporotic fractures were included in the study. At FU, we do not found significant differences in radiological items in respect to the postoperative period. Only one case of loosening and 18 cases of cement leaking (without neurological impairments) were found. Clinical scores improvement was significant in the interval between preoperative and FU. CONCLUSIONS: PMMA CSF seems to can guarantee good efficacy and effectiveness in the surgical treatment of vertebral fractures in osteoporosis.