Another 17 million women suffer from low bone density and are at risk of developing osteoporosis and bone fractures. When vertebrae fracture in a person with osteoporosis, they partially collapse and the person loses height. Often, the break can cause back pain. The spinal cement helps stabilize the fractured vertebrae and keeps them from collapsing further, providing relief from pain. Patients who are candidates for percutaneous vertebroplasty undergo CT tests to make sure their pain is caused by the fracture and not by any other back problem, such as a herniated disk or compression of the spinal cord.
Patients having the procedure receive a local anesthetic.
The cement, which is the consistency of toothpaste, is injected into the spine with a needle. Doctors use X-rays to guide them. The cement then hardens after about 20 minutes and is permanent. Patients generally spend only one night in the hospital. The cement does not impair movement of the spine and patients can move normally once the cement is in place.