To evaluate the risk factors related to the development of new fractures in adjacent vertebrae after vertebroplasty.

The study was conducted on 46 patients in whom 296 patients were performed during last 9 years. We were especially concerned with the restoration rate of vertebral height and kyphotic angle and estimated them on simple X-ray films.

In patients experienced subsequent vertebral fractures and no subsequent vertebral fractures after vertebroplasty, the mean height restoration rate of treated vertebra were 16.7% and 7.07%, and the kyphotic angle difference were 2.53 degree and 4.2 degree. The greater degree of height restoration of the vertebral body, especially in middle vertebral height and the lesser degree of kyphotic angle difference increased the risk of adjacent vertebral fracture risk. This results were available statistically (all p<0.05, Logistic regression test, SPSS 13.0).

It may be thought that the vertebral body height restoration rate will become risk factor of adjacent vertebral fractures.