Introduction: Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) affect significant portions of the body. Balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) is a minimally invasive treatment that offers pain relief and restoration of vertebral body height. This study aimed to determine the functional and radiological outcomes of patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures treated with BKP. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 40 patients from MIOT Hospital, Chennai, between March and December 2022. Patients with back injuries from trivial trauma were evaluated for osteoporotic VCFs using X-rays, classified according to the AO and DENNIS systems, and neurologically assessed. Pre- and post-operative (pre-op and post-operative) metrics, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for back pain, Oswestry scores, anterior vertebral body height, and kyphotic angle, were documented. Results: Most patients were female (82.5%), and 92.5% had no history of spinal surgery. Bone Mineral Density was 60% with a T-score of −2.5 and 40% with −3.5. According to Dennis’s classification, 57.5% of the patients had Type B fractures, with none having posterior compression or neurological deficits. The kyphotic angle varied by 45% at 10°. There was a significant increase in anterior vertebral body height from 24 ± 2.93 to 28 ± 2.48 (P = 0.005), decreased VAS scores (8.53 ± 0.68 pre-operative to 2.28 ± 0.91 at 6 months, P < 0.0001), and reduced Oswestry disability index (ODI) (27.98 ± 2.25 pre-operative to 12.80 ± 1.98 at 3 months, P < 0.0001). Beck’s index improved from 0.83 ± 0.05 pre-operative to 1.01 ± 0.11 post-op (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: BKP improved pain, function, and radiological outcomes in osteoporotic vertebral fractures, with significant improvements in VAS, ODI, vertebral height, kyphotic angle, and Beck’s index, demonstrating safety and minimal complications. Keywords: Beck index, visual analogue scale, balloon kyphoplasty, bone mineral density, osteoporotic vertebral fracture.
Dhillon et al. (Thu,) studied this question.