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Current status and challenges of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP)

A narrative review regarding percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) is provided herein, addressing the epidemic of OVF in Japan, the latest response to the criticism of PVP for OVFs, the indications and potential risks of PVP for OVFs, and a future perspective for PVP. Each year in Japan, approximately 32,000 patients aged 55 years or older suffer from chronic low back pain for several months to several years due to a compression fracture. PVP is one of the surgical treatments for an OVF, and it is less invasive compared to the traditional open surgery. PVP is suitable for OVF patients who have difficulty walking as assessed by the modified Yokoyama's activities of daily living (ADL) scoring system, and for patients with Kummell's disease diagnosed by CT and MRI examinations. Serious adverse events related to PVP occur in 1.1-3.3% of the cases, but direct deaths from PVP are extremely rare at less than 1%. Recent studies demonstrated that OVF patients treated with PVP are less likely to die after the treatment than non-surgically treated patients, which conflicts with the Cochran reviews' conclusion not supporting PVP for OVFs. Novel robotic systems and procedure-support devices are being developed, providing a next step toward fully automated PVP procedures.

Treating Vertebral Compression Fractures: Establishing the Appropriate Diagnosis, Preoperative Considerations, Treatment Techniques, Postoperative Follow-Up and General Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients With Symptomatic Vertebral Compression Fractures

Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) result from either trauma or a pathologic process that weakens the bone by conditions such as osteoporosis or tumor. The incidence of VCFs has been rising over the last few decades in accordance with the aging population. These fractures can result in severe pain, physical limitation and disability, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. Patients with VCFs are optimally treated by accurate and early diagnosis and treatment. An effective method to treat these fractures is percutaneous vertebral augmentation, which is a set of minimally invasive procedures that stabilizes osseous fractures, provides immediate pain relief, and improves quality of life. Vertebral augmentation procedures include vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and vertebral augmentation with implants. Each of these techniques is described in general terms in this article. The ideal candidate for vertebral augmentation is a patient with a symptomatic fracture seen on cross-sectional imaging in which nonsurgical management has failed and has positive signs on physical examination with no absolute contraindication. This procedure should be done with the appropriate equipment and personnel in a facility designed for this purpose. After the procedure, the patient should undergo the appropriate follow-up to ensure optimal recovery. Additionally, it is essential that the patient receives appropriate therapy for the underlying disorder that predisposed them to the vertebral fracture.