Therapeutic Efficacy of Third-Generation Percutaneous Vertebral Augmentation System (PVAS) in Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures (OVCFs): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess whether the third-generation PVAS was superior to percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) or percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in treating patients with OVCFs. METHODS: Databases, including Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane library, were searched to identify relevant interventional and observational articles in vivo or in vitro comparing the third-generation PVAS to PVP/PKP in OVCFs patients. A meta-analysis was performed under the guidelines of the Cochrane Reviewer's Handbook. RESULTS: 11 in vivo articles involving 1035 patients with 1320 segments of diseased vertebral bodies and 8 in vitro studies enrolling 40 specimens with 202 vertebral bodies were identified. The vivo studies indicated no significant differences were found in visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), operation time, or injected cement volume (P > 0.05). The third-generation PVAS was associated with significant improvement in vertebral height and Cobb angle (P < 0.05) and also with a significantly lower risk of cement leakages and new fractures (P < 0.05). The vitro studies suggest that the third-generation PVAS was associated with better anterior vertebral height (AVH) and kyphotic angle (KA) after deflation and cement. No significant differences were found in stiffness or failure load after cement between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on current evidence, although providing similar improvement in VAS and ODI, the third-generation PVAS may be superior to PVP/PKP in local kyphosis correction, vertebral height maintenance, and adverse events reduction. Further high-quality randomized studies are required to confirm these results.