Symptomatic Schmorl’s nodes: role of percutaneous vertebroplasty. Open study on 52 patients

Abstract

PurposeTo assess the feasibility and clinical outcome of combined CT and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty in the management of painful Schmorl’s nodes (SN).MethodsA prospective study was carried out from January 2014 to January 2016 in 52 consecutive patients. Thirty-two men and 30 women aged between 42 and 88\xa0years old were consecutively included. Technical success was defined as the ability to deposit cement in the subchondral endplate anteriorly, around the SN and posteriorly to the SN, in a cupule-like shape. Data regarding procedure time, amount of cement injection, and cement leakage were also noted. Assessment of pain was performed with VAS score and Oswestry disability index. All patients underwent a clinical and radiological follow-up at 1\xa0day, 1\xa0month, 6\xa0months, and 1\xa0year after procedure.ResultsTechnical success was 100%. Mean procedural time was 15\xa0min, and mean injected cement volume was 2.8\xa0mL. The VAS and Oswestry disability index decreased respectively from 7.2\u2009±\u20091.5 to 2.1\u2009±\u20091.0 and from 59.2\u2009±\u200916.2 to 17.1\u2009±\u20095.0 at 1\xa0month. Follow-up mean VAS scores were 2.4 (±\u20091.4) at 6\xa0months and 2.2 (±\u20091.2) at 12\xa0months.ConclusionPVP appears as a feasible procedure in patients with painful SN with satisfying pain decrease in the following year after procedure.