Treatment of osteoporotic spinal compression fractures in the elderly

       In recent months, nearly 20 elderly patients with osteoporotic spinal compression fractures were admitted and treated with minimally invasive surgery —- posterior percutaneous puncture, balloon dilatation, and vertebroplasty, all with satisfactory results. The patients were free from pain and bed rest in just a few days, and in four cases the fractures were not recent but occurred several months or even 1 or 2 years ago, but had been intermittently painful and repeatedly aggravated. Finally, after this treatment, they were free from the pain of recurrent pain, inability to turn over, unable to sit up, stand and walk. All patients were discharged from the hospital within 3-7 days without any complications.       Typical case 1: Female, 69 years old, with low back pain for 8 months, early bed-ridden for 2 weeks with reduced symptoms, began to walk on the ground, although the symptoms gradually relieved but still repeatedly aggravated, especially when turning, sitting, standing and walking, especially obvious, usually bed-ridden, stall support to the bathroom, etc., seriously affecting the patient’s daily life. On examination, the patient was found to have obvious posterior convexity deformity and pressure and percussion pain in the thoracolumbar segment, and his activities were obviously limited, and he was reluctant to sit up and stand up. X-ray examination revealed two vertebral compression fractures of lumbar 1 and thoracic 12, and MRI examination revealed that the fracture of lumbar 1 was old and had healed, while the fracture of thoracic 12 had not healed and had obvious exudation, which was the cause of the present symptoms. Admission diagnosis: compression fracture of thorax 12 and compression fracture of lumbar 1 (old).                         Pre-operative X-rays – L1 and T12 were compressed and there was significant kyphotic deformity of the spine.                                   Preoperative MRI (compression lipid) films —-T12 had deep outgoing signal, L1 signal was normal treatment —- posterior percutaneous puncture, balloon expansion, vertebroplasty compared before and after surgery showed restoration of vertebral body height of T12 fracture, kyphosis deformity of spine obtained significant improvement, filling bone cement in place and uniform, no leakage.