Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
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J. Bone Miner. Res. · Jul 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialBalloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures: 2-year results from a randomized trial.
Vertebral fractures are often painful and lead to reduced quality of life and disability. We compared the efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty to nonsurgical therapy over 24 months in patients with acute painful fractures. Adults with one to three vertebral fractures were randomized within 3 months from onset of pain to undergo kyphoplasty (n = 149) or nonsurgical therapy (n = 151). ⋯ Compared with nonsurgical management, kyphoplasty rapidly reduces pain and improves function, disability, and quality of life without increasing the risk of additional vertebral fractures. The differences from nonsurgical management are statistically significant when averaged across 24 months. Most outcomes are not statistically different at 24 months, but the reduction in back pain remains statistically significant at all time points.