Objective To explore the early effect of percutaneous vertebral augmentation on adjacent⁃segment intervertebral disc degeneration after surgery in patients with lumbar compression fracture. Methods A total of 110 patients with lumbar compression fracture were assigned to percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) group (n=55) or percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) group (n=55) according to therapeutic methods. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score before surgery, and 1 day, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery were identified in patients of the two groups; in addition, changes of intervertebral space height and intervertebral space height index below the injured vertebra were evaluated through X⁃ray. Lumbar MRI was used to evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration below the injured vertebra before operation and at the last follow⁃up. Results There was no statistically significant difference in VAS and ODI scores after surgery between the two groups (P>0.05), exhibiting an overall decreasing trend (P<0.05). Intervertebral space height and intervertebral space height index in adjacent⁃segment of both groups decreased 6 and 12 months after surgery as compared with before surgery (P<0.05), and intervertebral space height and intervertebral space height index of the PVP group were higher than those of the PKP group (P<0.05). At the last follow⁃up, the total incidence rate of severe degeneration of adjacent⁃segment intervertebral disc was 48.18% (53/110), therein the incidence rate of the PKP group was higher than that of the PVP group (61.82% and 34.55%, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusion Effect of percutaneous vertebral augmentation for the treatment of lumbar compression fracture is significant, but it can aggravate the degeneration of adjacent⁃segment intervertebral disc of the injured vertebra in the early stage, and patients treated with PKP are more likely to have such situations.

无