Objective To compare the curative effect of improved percutaneous kyphoplasty (IPKP) with conventional PKP in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF).Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 103 senile patients with OVCF undergone IPKP (57 cases,72 vertebras) or PKP (46 cases,58 vertebras) between September 2009 and September 2014.Preoperative vertebral compression,vertebral height restoration,height loss,bone cement leakage and adjacent vertebral refracture were compared between the two groups.Curative effect was evaluated using the visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI).Results Duration of follow-up was 6-38 months (mean,16 months).Between-group differences were insignificant with respect to the rate of preoperative vertebral compression,rate of postoperative height restoration and height loss rate at the final follow-up (P ＞ 0.05).PKP versus IPKP was associated with a higher rate of cement leakage (14％ vs.8％) (P＞0.05) and refracture (20％ vs.5％) (P＜0.05).VAS and ODI between the two groups did not differ significantly before and after operation and at the final follow-up (P ＞ 0.05).VAS and ODI within the group showed significant differences after operation and at the final follow-up compared to these before operation (P ＜ 0.05),but there were no significant differences after operation and at the final follow-up (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Both procedures can restore vertebral height,alleviate pain and improve mobility.By contrast,IPKP provides long-term benefits in vertebral height loss and refracture rate.