Post-kyphoplasty secondary vertebral compression fractures in Vietnamese patients: A single-center prospective cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Despite its well-known effectiveness in vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), kyphoplasty could also bring the risk of developing subsequent VCFs post-augmentation, especially at adjacent vertebrae, which has been rarely reported in Asian countries. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we performed cement augmentation on 69 vertebrae in 65 patients at the Spine Surgery Department, Viet Duc University Hospital, from June 2019 to November 2020. Cement augmentation was performed on 69 vertebrae in 65 patients. They then were followed and assessed for subsequent VCFs every 3, 6, 9 months after surgery. RESULTS: 69 vertebrae in 65 patients were treated by kyphoplasty, 2 patients had 2 vertebrae treated and only one patient had 3 vertebrae injected. The average age recorded was 72 ± 8 years old. The average amount of cement injected was 5.4 ± 1.4 ml per vertebrae. At the end of the study, 63 patients did not develop subsequent VCFs. Two patients (3.07%) had new VCFs post-augmentation within the first two-month period post-injection. Age, gender, history of steroid injection and number of vertebrae treated with kyphoplasty showed no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Kyphoplasty is an effective pain-reliving treatment for patients with osteoporotic VCFs and would pose no threats to subsequent VCFs. For patients developing abnormal acute pain within the period of two months, further examinations and MRI scan should be performed to detect subsequent VCFs in time.