{"title":"Trends in vertebral augmentation in South Korea (2010-2024): a nationwide population-based study with international comparison.","authors":"Dong-Ju Lim","doi":"10.1016/j.spinee.2026.09.008","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background context: </strong>Vertebral augmentation (VA)-vertebroplasty (VP) and balloon kyphoplasty (BKP)-treats painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures refractory to conservative care. After 2009 sham-controlled trials, US VA use declined and shifted toward BKP; long-term Korean trends are less defined.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate national VA utilization in South Korea from 2010 through 2024 and compare it with international patterns.</p><p><strong>Study design/setting: </strong>Nationwide serial cross-sectional study of public HIRA aggregate statistics (2010-2024).</p><p><strong>Patient sample: </strong>Annual N0471 (VP) and N0473 (BKP) code-specific patient counts; the 15-year cumulative sum was 643,255. Counts could not be deduplicated across years or procedure categories.</p><p><strong>Outcome measures: </strong>Annual procedure, sex, age, regional, average annual percent change (AAPC), and nominal claim-amount trends.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Descriptive summaries and log-linear regression were used; international comparisons were narrative. Funding was US$0; relevant financial relationships were US$0, and no study-specific conflict-of-interest-associated bias was identified.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The national annual count increased from 30,190 to 59,556 (+97.3%; AAPC +4.4%; p<.001). VP rose from 24,165 to 54,364 (AAPC +5.2%; p<.001), and its share increased from 80.0% to 91.3%. BKP ended 13.8% lower (6,025 to 5,192), with a nonsignificant trend (AAPC -0.7%; p=.260). Females comprised 80.6%-82.6% of annual counts. The group aged 80 years or older reached 54.3% of counts in 2024 (AAPC +9.8%; p<.001). Nominal HIRA-adjudicated claim amounts increased from KRW 9.679 billion to KRW 19.041 billion (+96.7%; AAPC +4.6%; p<.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>South Korea showed sustained VP-predominant growth, unlike US practice, and a marked shift toward patients aged 80 years or older, with planning implications in a superaged society.</p>","PeriodicalId":49484,"journal":{"name":"Spine Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Spine Journal","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2026.09.008","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background context: Vertebral augmentation (VA)-vertebroplasty (VP) and balloon kyphoplasty (BKP)-treats painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures refractory to conservative care. After 2009 sham-controlled trials, US VA use declined and shifted toward BKP; long-term Korean trends are less defined.
Purpose: To evaluate national VA utilization in South Korea from 2010 through 2024 and compare it with international patterns.
Study design/setting: Nationwide serial cross-sectional study of public HIRA aggregate statistics (2010-2024).
Patient sample: Annual N0471 (VP) and N0473 (BKP) code-specific patient counts; the 15-year cumulative sum was 643,255. Counts could not be deduplicated across years or procedure categories.
Outcome measures: Annual procedure, sex, age, regional, average annual percent change (AAPC), and nominal claim-amount trends.
Methods: Descriptive summaries and log-linear regression were used; international comparisons were narrative. Funding was US$0; relevant financial relationships were US$0, and no study-specific conflict-of-interest-associated bias was identified.
Results: The national annual count increased from 30,190 to 59,556 (+97.3%; AAPC +4.4%; p<.001). VP rose from 24,165 to 54,364 (AAPC +5.2%; p<.001), and its share increased from 80.0% to 91.3%. BKP ended 13.8% lower (6,025 to 5,192), with a nonsignificant trend (AAPC -0.7%; p=.260). Females comprised 80.6%-82.6% of annual counts. The group aged 80 years or older reached 54.3% of counts in 2024 (AAPC +9.8%; p<.001). Nominal HIRA-adjudicated claim amounts increased from KRW 9.679 billion to KRW 19.041 billion (+96.7%; AAPC +4.6%; p<.001).
Conclusions: South Korea showed sustained VP-predominant growth, unlike US practice, and a marked shift toward patients aged 80 years or older, with planning implications in a superaged society.
期刊介绍：
The Spine Journal, the official journal of the North American Spine Society, is an international and multidisciplinary journal that publishes original, peer-reviewed articles on research and treatment related to the spine and spine care, including basic science and clinical investigations. It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted to The Spine Journal have not been published, and will not be simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere. The Spine Journal also publishes major reviews of specific topics by acknowledged authorities, technical notes, teaching editorials, and other special features, Letters to the Editor-in-Chief are encouraged.
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