The procedure, known as vertebroplasty, involves injecting bone cement into the vertebrae where a compression fracture exists, stabilizing the fracture and relieving the pain.
Vertebral fractures are most often the result of osteoporosis.
We have found that relieving patients of their pain and enabling them to get out of bed and on with their lives is not only healthier physically and mentally, but makes good economic sense. Before the development of this technique, the only treatment for these patients was wearing a brace, taking analgesics and bed rest. This ongoing treatment was often as life altering as the condition itself. Now, we are able to offer patients a minimally-invasive treatment that can provide significant pain relief and give them back their mobility, she said. When the area is located and confirmed, the bone cement is injected into the vertebrae under X-ray guidance using a hollow needle.