Percutaneous Kyphoplasty versus Conservative Treatment in Acute and Subacute Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures (OVCF): A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial (RCT) in the Population of Western China

Vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is one of the most common causes of osteoporosis fractures. There are over 700,000 VCF patients yearly. Percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) is a minimally invasive surgical approach that uses interventional radiology technique and involves the fluoroscopically guided injection of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) through a needle inserted into a weakened vertebral body. In China, with no randomized controlled study reported in this regard, it is still controversial to choose between PKP and conservative treatment for VCF patients. In this study, we treated 164 osteoporotic VCF (OVCF) patients with either PKP or CT method under a double-blinded, randomized controlled study between July 2007 and July 2010. In China, this study was Level I evidence according to US Preventive Services Task Force. The results were reported below.