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Vertebroplasty

Vertebroplasty is minimally invasive surgery to stabilize the spine and relieve pain in patients who have suffered a fractured vertebra, often as a result of osteoporosis. This relatively new procedure was developed in France in 1986 and has been available in the United States since 1991. It has not escaped the controversy in the medical community that usually accompanies new treatment methods.

Still, many neurologists have begun to offer vertebroplasty. The following is a step-by-step description of the procedure:

• The back is numbed with a local anesthetic and the patient is given a light sedative
• A small incision is made, and a hollow needle is guided through spinal muscles by a fluoroscope into the fractured vertebra
• Orthopedic cement (an acrylic paste) is injected through the needle into the fractured vertebra
• The patient lies flat for at least two hours while the cement hardens
• Most patients experience significant pain relief within a few days of vertebroplasty

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A Mayo Clinic study published by the New England Journal of Medicine in August 2009 found that a placebo procedure was just as effective as vertebroplasty for pain relief. Prior to that study, which examined the effects for 131 patients, vertebroplasty had received favorable reviews. The bottom line? Because the procedure is still new and still being refined, not enough is known about it to draw a definitive conclusion about its effectiveness as a treatment for fractured vertebrae.

Depending on the severity of the fractured vertebra, symptoms might resemble those produced by other spinal conditions, such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease or a herniated disc. Laser Spine Institute (LSI) offers an alternative to traditional back surgery, using gentle, endoscopic techniques to perform minimally invasive procedures on an outpatient basis. Contact LSI for a free review of your MRI or CT scan and to learn how to rediscover a life without pain.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.