A study on vertebral refracture and scoliosis after percutaneous kyphoplasty in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

To analyze the association between scoliosis and vertebral refracture after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).

A retrospective study was conducted on 269 patients meeting the criteria from January 2014 to October 2022. All patients underwent PKP with complete data and were followed-up for > 12 months. First, it was verified that scoliosis was a risk factor in 269 patients. Second, patients with scoliosis were grouped based on the Cobb angle to evaluate the impact of the post-operative angle. The cox proportional hazards regression analysis and survival analysis were used to calculate the hazard ratio and recurrence time.

A total of 56 patients had scoliosis, 18 of whom experienced refractures after PKP. The risk factors for vertebral refractures included a T-score < − 3.0 and presence of scoliosis (both p < 0.001). The results indicated that the vertebral fractured arc (T10 − L4) was highly influential in scoliosis and vertebral fractures. When scoliotic and initially fractured vertebrae were situated within T10 − L4, the risk factors for vertebral refracture included a postoperative Cobb angle of ≥ 20° (p = 0.002) and an increased angle (p = 0.001). The mean recurrence times were 17.2 (10.7 − 23.7) months and 17.6 (7.9 − 27.3) months, respectively.

Osteoporosis combined with scoliosis significantly increases the risk of vertebral refractures after PKP in patients with OVCFs. A postoperative Cobb angle of ≥ 20° and an increased angle are significant risk factors for vertebral refractures when scoliotic and initially fractured vertebrae are situated within T10 − L4.