ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of unilateral puncture percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) through transverse process-pedicle approach (TPA) for the treatment of lumbar osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF).MethodsFrom January 2014 to June 2019, a total of 220 OVF patients (321 fractured vertebral bodies) were enrolled, and PKP was performed by unilateral TPA puncture. The distribution of bone cement in vertebral body exceeding the midline of vertebral body was defined as the success of puncture, and the success rates of puncture of different vertebral bodies were recorded. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), anterior and middle heights of the vertebral body, and the local Cobb angle were compared between three time points namely before operation, 1 day after operation, and 6 months after operation. Surgery-related complications were recorded.ResultsThe 220 patients included 57 males and 163 females, with a mean age of (70.3±6.5) years, a mean course of disease of (18.7±17.7) d, and a mean bone mineral density of −3.3±0.6. The success rate of puncture from L1 to L5 was 81.7% (85/104), 95.2% (80/84), 100.0% (69/69), 97.6% (41/42), and 72.7% (16/22), respectively. The mean volume of bone cement injected into the vertebral bodies was (5.8±0.9) mL. Two patients were followed up for less than 6 months because of death or loss to follow-up, and the other 218 patients were followed up for 6-57 months, with an average of (19.6±8.7) months. Before surgery, 1 day after surgery, and 6 months after surgery, the median (lower quartile, upper quartile) of VAS scores was 6 (6, 8), 1 (1, 2), and 2 (1, 2), respectively, with statistically significant differences in all the two-two comparisons (P<0.017). At the three time points, the median (lower quartile, upper quartile) of ODI was 61% (54%, 66%), 26% (22%, 30%), and 25% (24%, 31%), respectively, the mean height of anterior vertebral body was (18.3±2.8), (22.6±3.0), and (22.6±3.1) mm, respectively, the mean height of middle vertebral body was (17.8±2.2), (22.9±2.8), and (22.9±2.7) mm, respectively, the mean local Cobb angle was (19.9±2.6), (14.4±2.8), (14.4±2.8)°, respectively, and the values at 1 day and 6 months after surgery all differed from those before surgery (P<0.017). A total of 32 cases (42 vertebrae) had bone cement leakage, of whom 4 cases had related symptoms. There were 32 re-fractures of the vertebral bodies, including 18 adjacent vertebral body fractures, with an incidence rate of 5.6%. There were 3 vertebral infections after operation, the incidence was 0.9%.ConclusionPatients with OVF of the lumbar spine undergoing unilateral TPA puncture for PKP surgery have a high success rate, definite clinical effect, and satisfactory correction of local deformities.