Abstract:

Objective: Bone mineral density decreases after liver transplantation, and the incidence of vertebral fracture concerning this increase. Vertebral fractures due to bone mineral density increase mortality due to pain, spinal deformity, neurological deficit, and immobility. This study discussed the patients with a vertebral fracture who underwent liver transplantation and received kyphoplasty and conservative treatments to reference clinical treatments. Methods: Among the 2200 patients who underwent liver transplantation between 2002-2020, 65 of the 110 patients underwent spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) due to back and low back pain had vertebral fractures. Of these 65 patients, 48 were unstable, and 17 were stable vertebral fractures. Patients with stable vertebral fractures were grouped as conservative (n=9) and balloon kyphoplasty (n=8), as these groups compared the following parameters: age, sex, bone densitometry, laboratory findings (Ca, P), vertebral fracture levels, cigarette, high blood pressure, alcohol use, pre-operation, and post-operation 20th-day Visual Analogue Scale scores. Results: While there were no significant differences between the VAS score and the VAS score after 20 days in the patients who received conservative treatment, a significant difference was found between the VAS score and the VAS score after 20 days in the patients who received kyphoplasty. Conclusion: It disrupts patient compliance in treating the primary disease due to pain and immobilization in patients who received organ transplantation, and increases the complications due to immobilization. Therefore, performing kyphoplasty is recommended in symptomatic vertebral fractures that do not require stabilization after organ transplantation regardless of the VAS score.

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