Vertebroplasty

Like kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty is also a minimally invasive back operation that is done on patients who suffer from vertebral compression fractures. In this surgical procedure bone cement is injected into the fractured vertebra through a small hole in the skin.

This procedure is done with the main aim of providing respite to the condition of the patient as well as relieving his/her back pain and neck pain. However, this surgical procedure is often found unsuccessful on patients suffering from compression fractures that happen due to osteoporosis.

What Vertebroplasty Treats

As mentioned above vertebroplasty is also a minimally invasive procedure like kyphoplasty where image-guided therapy is used so that the patient can get relief from the pain that is very common in vertebral body fracture.

This treatment option is used for both osteoporotic as well as malignant fracture. This invasive procedure benefits the patient by increasing his mobility; reducing the dependence on narcotic medications as well as to prevent any further vertebral collapse.

It is also beneficial as it provides relief from pain to the patients making it easier for them to restore their daily activities.

In percutaneous vertebroplasty, the vertebral body is injected with percutaneous injection of cement, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).  In vertebroplasty it is sometime found that the PMMA is placed in the vertebral lesions manually in traditional open spinal surgeries.

Vertebroplasty Success Rates

The prognosis or success of vertebroplasty is in dispute. In most cases patients who are suffering from osteoporosis related fractures seem to have found no benefit from this procedure.

Some doctors even suggested that the operative procedure should be done on those fractures that are less than eight weeks old.  It is also found that the recovery process may also be hindered if the patient is also suffering from other possible detrimental disorders.

For example, if the spinal fracture is due to a metastatic cancer the recovery can become more difficult.