Osteoporosis affects more than 30 million Americans, contributing to more than 500,000 compression fractures per year in the United States. Patients with compression fractures often suffer continuous pain, loss of height, further loss of bone tissue due to inactivity, and complications such as pneumonia and pulmonary embolism caused by their inability to move without pain.

Until recently, treatment for osteoporosis was limited to pain control with medications, bed rest, bracing or spinal surgery. Two revolutionary treatment options called vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty offer new hope by reducing and stabilizing compression fractures. Benefits of these nonsurgical treatments include pain relief and reduction of spinal deformities caused by the downward spiral of osteoporosis. Performed within Interventional Radiology at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty require only a small incision and an average hospital stay of one day. Patients are able to return quickly to normal activities and studies show that more than 90 percent experience pain relief.

Vertebroplasty

A combination of new surgical substances and improved imaging technology now allows surgeons to reinforce compressing vertebrae and fill cracks in the bone structure. Under local or general anesthesia, a special needle is passed slowly through the soft tissue into the vertebra. Image-guided x-ray, along with a small amount of contrast dye, allows the position of the needle to be viewed at all times. A small amount of acrylic bone cement is injected into the collapsed vertebra and hardens quickly to reinforce the bone structure. The crushed bone fragments fuse together and no longer rub against the nerves when the patient moves, alleviating pain.

Are vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for everyone?

No, they are intended to treat fairly new painful compression fractures, not old non-painful fractures. They are also not intended for relieving pain associated with degenerative disc or joint disease of the spine.

For more information, talk to your physician to find out if any of the above procedures may be helpful to you. For more information about osteoporosis, please see osteoporosis in our health information section. Please note that vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are recent advances and are not yet discussed in that topic.

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