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Pain Relief Following Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: Results of a Series of 283 Consecutive Patients Treated in a Single Institution

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology volume 30, pages 441–447 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess if percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) could relieve back pain, reduce drug consumption, and improve the mobility of patients with metastases and vertebral compression fractures. From August 2002 to July 2004, 283 patients (216 females; mean age: 73.8 ± 9.9 years) underwent PVP on 749 vertebrae. Pain was evaluated with the pain intensity numeric rating scale (PI-NRS) (0 = no pain; 10 = worst pain) before the procedure and at the end point in September 2004 (follow-up:1–24 months; median: 7 months). A reduction of at least two points of the PI-NRS score was considered clinically relevant. Two hundred four patients were available for evaluation at the end point. Overall results showed a reduction of the median pain score from 8 at baseline to 1 at the end point (p < 0.0001); a clinically relevant pain reduction was observed in 176/205 patients (86%); 89/147 patients (61%) gave up a brace support (p < 0.0001); and 117/190 patients (62%) gave up drug therapy. Results were similar in different subgroups stratified according to age, underlying pathology, number of fractured or treated vertebrae, and length of follow-up.

This study adds evidence that PVP is effective in treating painful vertebral fractures. A significant reduction in drug assumption and significant mobility improvement can also be achieved.

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Affiliations

  1. Interventional Radiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC), Strada Provinciale No.135 Km.3, 95 10060 , Candiolo, Turin, Italy

    Giovanni Carlo Anselmetti, Antonio Manca & Haris Eminefendic

  2. Department of Statistics, Biostatistics Unit, University Bicocca, Via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi 8, 20126, Milan, Italy

    Giovanni Corrao

  3. Radiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC), Strada Provinciale No. 135 Km.3, 95 10060 , Candiolo, Turin, Italy

    Patrizia Della Monica, Vincenzo Tartaglia, Filippo Russo, Irene Tosetti & Daniele Regge

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  1. Giovanni Carlo Anselmetti
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  2. Giovanni Corrao
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  3. Patrizia Della Monica
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  4. Vincenzo Tartaglia
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  5. Antonio Manca
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  6. Haris Eminefendic
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  7. Filippo Russo
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  8. Irene Tosetti
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  9. Daniele Regge
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Correspondence to Giovanni Carlo Anselmetti.

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Anselmetti, G.C., Corrao, G., Monica, P.D. et al. Pain Relief Following Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: Results of a Series of 283 Consecutive Patients Treated in a Single Institution. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 30, 441–447 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-006-0146-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-006-0146-0

Keywords

  • Vertebroplasty
  • Spine
  • Vertebral fracture
  • Osteoporosis
  • Metastases