Pain response in the first trimester after percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with or without bone marrow edema.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND

AND PURPOSE:
Presence of bone marrow edema (BME) in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCF) detected by MR imaging as selection criterion for percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) is speculative. To clarify significance of BME in VCF, we assessed pain response after PV in patients with VCF with full BME versus patients with VCF with absent BME.

METHODS:
From a cohort of patients with painful VCF selected for PV, pain response in 14 patients with absent BME in VCF was prospectively compared with pain response in 31 patients with full BME in VCF. Pain was evaluated before PV and at 1 and 3 months after PV with visual analog scores and analgesics used. Back pain in general and at treated vertebral levels was assessed.

RESULTS:
Pain decrease after PV at treated levels was observed in 10 (71%) patients with absent BME in VCF at both follow-up periods and in 29 (94%) patients with full BME 1 month after PV and 30 (97%) at 3 months after PV. Differences between the groups were significant (P = .04 at 1 month; P = .01 at 3 months). Pain response was not affected by other patient or imaging characteristics. General back pain after PV was comparable in both groups after PV (P = .08 at 1 month; P = .4 at 3 months).

CONCLUSION:
Pain decrease after PV in patients with VCF is more frequently observed when full BME is present. Because 71% of patients with VCF with absent BME responded favorably on pain, PV should not be withheld based on absence of BME alone.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Voormolen, M H J (MH); van Rooij, W J (WJ); Sluzewski, M (M); van der Graaf, Y (Y); Lampmann, L E H (LE); Lohle, P N M (PN); Juttmann, J R (JR);

Affiliation: Department of Radiology, St. Elisabeth Ziekenhuis, 5000 LC Tilburg, the Netherlands. mhjvoorm(-atsign-)12move.nl

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology (AJNR Am J Neuroradiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Aug; vol 27 (issue 7) : pp 1579-85

Dates: Created 2006/08/15; Completed 2006/09/29; Revised 2008/02/14;

PMID: 16908585, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Analgesics - therapeutic use
Back Pain - physiopathology; surgery
Bone Cements - therapeutic use
Bone Marrow Diseases - complications
Cohort Studies
Edema - complications
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Fractures, Compression - surgery

Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Osteoporosis - surgery
Pain Measurement
Polymethyl Methacrylate - therapeutic use
Prospective Studies
Reconstructive Surgical Procedures - methods
Spinal Fractures - surgery
Spine - surgery

Associated Chemicals: Analgesics (0) ; Bone Cements (0) ; Polymethyl Methacrylate (9011-14-7)

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.