Interventional Radiology

Vertebroplasty

Article Sections
Overview	Urinary Tract Interventions
Vascular Interventions	Vertebroplasty
Non-Vascular Interventions	Uterine Fibroid Embolization
Dialysis Patient Management	Radiofrequency Ablation

Approximately 700,000 women suffer from osteoporotic fractures each year. The wrists and hip bone are the most common sites for injury. Weakened vertebra can collapse suddenly during normal, daily activities. The resulting pain can be debilitating, cause limited mobility and reduced
quality of life.

What is vertebroplasty?

These women are candidates for vertebroplasty, a minimally-invasive, outpatient procedure used to treat the pain associated with vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis and metastatic tumors. The procedure is effective in more than 90 percent of patients. It helps restore mobility to the patient and eliminates or reduces pain to a
minimum so that it no longer interferes with daily activities. The procedure uses a specially formulated acrylic bone cement called polymethylmethacrylate to stabilize the vertebra. This cement has been used for four decades as an orthopedic cement with excellent results. In addition to providing pain relief, vertebroplasty can also prevent further
collapse of the vertebra, height loss and spine curvature.

Who is a candidate for vertebroplasty?

Women who suffer from osteoporotic fractures. Other candidates include patients with secondary osteoporosis resulting from use of therapeutic drugs such as steroids, anticonvulsants, chemotherapy and heparin. The use of corticosteroids is also an increasingly common cause of osteoporosis in patients with severe asthma, collagen vascular disease, transplant surgery and certain types of cancer. Although men are also at
risk, approximately twice as many women are affected by osteoporosis. Pain medications, bed rest and external bracing to reduce pain are considered the first line of treatment. However, only about 50 percent of patients will experience relief with these therapies. If pain persists, vertebroplasty should be considered.

How is the procedure performed?

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and conscious sedation. Using state-of-the-art imaging equipment, the physician inserts the needles into the fractured vertebra and slowly injects a small amount of bone cement which hardens very rapidly. Patients are typically observed for complications for several hours after the procedure and may then go
home. Many patients return to their normal activities within a few days and experience continued relief from pain for many years. Complications from the procedure are rare, affecting only about one to three percent of
patients.