Effect on Partial Pressure of Oxygen in Arterial Blood in Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to estimate the change in partial pressure of oxygen (Pao₂) during percutaneous vertebroplasty and also to examine the factors related to the change in Pao₂.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed preprocedural and postprocedural Pao₂ of 59 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty between November 2003 and April 2005 (11 men and 48 women; age range, 50–93; mean age, 75 years). Fifty-four patients were treated for osteoporosis-related fractures and 5 had malignant disease. Percutaneous vertebroplasty was performed in a conventional manner under local anesthetics and conscious sedation. Preprocedural and postprocedural blood drawing was performed 5 days to 30 minutes before percutaneous vertebroplasty and also at 30 minutes after the injection of bone cement. The difference between preprocedural and postprocedural data of Pao₂ was correlated with patients’ age, number of treated vertebral bodies, presence of cement leakage, and presence of malignant neoplasm for each patient.

RESULTS: Mean pre-Pao₂ and post-Pao₂ were 80.9 ± 1.4 and 70.6 ± 1.3 mm Hg (mean ± SE) respectively (P = .0001). Using analysis of variance, there was a significant difference according to the number of vertebral bodies. There was a positive trend of decrease in Pao₂ according to the number of vertebral bodies during percutaneous vertebroplasty. Using multiple linear regression and after adjusting by preprocedural Pao₂ and other variables, the number of vertebral bodies was still highly significant.

CONCLUSION: Pao₂ decreases during percutaneous vertebroplasty, and there is a correlation between the number of treated vertebral bodies and decrease in Pao₂.