Influence of the distribution of bone cement along the fracture line on the curative effect of vertebral augmentation

Objective The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of different bone cement distributions along the fracture line on clinical and imaging outcomes of vertebral augmentation. Methods In total, 84 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for a single osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture from January 2016 to August 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were divided into two groups according to the relationship between the bone cement distribution and the fracture line: the unilateral group (n = 23) and the bilateral group (n = 61). Postoperative clinical and imaging parameters were compared between the two groups. Results Statistical analyses showed no significant difference in postoperative pain relief, bone cement leakage, nerve injury, or new vertebral fracture between the two groups. Significant recovery from vertebral compression was observed in the bilateral group after surgery, but there was no significant difference in vertebral compression after surgery in the unilateral group. Conclusions Pain relief was similar for different types of cement distributions along the fracture line, but a bilateral cement distribution exhibited better recovery from vertebral compression and did not increase bone cement leakage in the vertebral augmentation procedure.