Vertebroplasty

What is Vertebroplasty?
Vertebroplasty is a treatment procedure developed to stabilize broken bones in the spine caused by osteoporosis. During the procedure, a needle about the size of a cocktail straw is inserted through the skin and into the collapsed vertebrae. A surgical bone cement called poly-methylmethacrylate is injected into the bone to stabilize it. Often, more than one crushed vertebrae can be treated in a single procedure. Surgery is not required because the doctor is able to guide the needle to the right spot using special X-ray equipment. Vertebroplasty takes from one to two hours to perform depending on how many bones are treated. The procedure may be performed with a local anesthetic that numbs the area to be treated and anti-anxiety medication.
Recovery
Some patients experience immediate pain relief after vertebroplasty. Most report that their pain is gone or significantly better within 48 hours. Many people can resume their normal daily activities the next day.

Is the procedure safe?
Vertebroplasty is very safe. Although it is a relatively new treatment in the U.S., vertebroplasty has been performed for more than a decade at several centers in France with excellent results. The injection technique also has been successfully used for a number of years in the U.S. to treat other conditions in the spine. For example, it is used to treat cancer and blood vessel abnormalities. The bone cement used to stabilize the fractured vertebrae has been shown to be safe through many years of use in joint replacement surgeries and other orthopaedic procedures.
Who is a candidate for vertebroplasty?
People who have suffered recent compressing fractures that are causing them moderate to severe back pain are the best candidates for vertebroplasty. In some cases, older fractures may be treated, but the procedure is most successful if it is performed soon after the fracture occurs. The procedure is not used to treat chronic back pain or herniated disks.
How successful is vertebroplasty?
Studies have shown that from 75 percent to 90 percent of people treated with vertebroplasty will have complete or significant reduction of their pain.