Objective To explore the application value of directional balloon technology in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP).

Methods A total of 122 patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture of the thoracolumbar vertebrae were selected Shuguang Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2018 to March 2020. 61 patients in the control group received traditional PKP and 61 patients in the experimental group received directional balloon PKP. The postoperative bone cement leakage, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI), wedge angle, and Cobb angle of patients were compared.

Results The operation time was shorten and the number of X-ray fluoroscopy was less in the experimental group than those in the control group (P < 0.001). The total cement leakage rate in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P=0.013). There was no statistical difference in the wedge angle and Cobb angle between the two groups before and after the operation, and the wedge angle and Cobb angle decreased after surgery than before surgery in the two groups (P < 0.001). The VAS score in the experimental group was lower than those in the control group 1 d and 3 d after surgery (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in VAS score between the two groups 5 d after surgery. There was no significant difference in the ODI score between the two groups before surgery, and it decreased in the two groups after surgery (P < 0.001).

Conclusions Compared with traditional PKP, directional balloon PKP could effectively reduce the number of intraoperative fluoroscopy, shorten the operation time, reduce the postoperative cement leakage rate, and relieve the postoperative pain of patients with osteoporotic compression fracture of the thoracolumbar vertebrae, so it is worthy of clinical application.