Patient Education: Diseases Conditions Treatments & Procedures
Vertebroplasty
Overview
The name “plasty” is to change, remodel or rebuild. You probably have heard of this with regard to a friend’s knee or a relatives hip, knee arthroplasty or hip arthroplasty. Vertebroplasty is to rebuild the vertebrae. Just as our French inventor did 25 years ago we inject bone glue or bone cement into the broken vertebrae and provide it with stability. Pain may be relieved immediately. Your surgeon will need to assess you to determine if you are a good candidate for vertebroplasty because not all osteoporotic compression fractures are the cause of pain. Potential complications exist if done in the wrong patient. Vertebroplasty can be done in the operating room with you awake or asleep. This simple outpatient procedure is now also commonly done in the radiology suite by an experienced interventional radiologist.
Vertebroplasty or Kyphoplasty
A close relative to vertebroplasty is kyphoplasty. Like vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty is used for osteoporotic compression fractures. There are some theoretical advantages to kyphoplasty but the jury is still out on whether the outcome for pain relief is any better. In experienced hands, both techniques are safe and like all things, kyphoplasty has its place and its limitations. Your surgeon will discuss with you whether you are a candidate for one or the other or neither.
Demonstration (click the video player below to view):
