Vertebroplasty: A Procedure to Repair Compression Fractures of the Spine in the Elderly

As we age, the spine undergoes changes. Disc degeneration and osteoporosis are two conditions that can affect us as we grow older. Both are fairly common disorders and can be extremely painful, especially in the elderly.

Back pain is the second leading medical complaint in the U.S. It is estimated there is a 95% chance an individual will have back pain sometime in his or her life. The back wears out as a result of the normal aging process and wear and tear from use--much like a mechanical device.

As we age, the spongy tissue between the vertebrae that cushions and act as shock absorbers degenerates and settles. This condition is called intervertebral disc degeneration and affects nearly everyone to some degree. This is why, as we reach our 70's, we're usually one or two inches shorter than we were in our 20's. Disc degeneration starts in our 20's and 30's and continues to progress as we age. Our huge population of Baby Boomers are just beginning to fight some of the affects of aging, but new procedures are being developed to help minimize the pain and discomfort. We are literally living in the age of being transplanted, reconstructed, replaced and now, cemented back together again!

Osteoporosis is one condition of aging. It is known as the silent degenerative disease because, at the early stage of the disease, the patient may be free of symptoms, but as the disease progresses, the bones of the spine begin to resemble an old sponge--thin and porous. The bone mass and bone strength is lost and this makes the bones of the spine susceptible to fracture.

Symptoms of osteoporosis include chronic pain, loss of mobility and a bent-over appearance. Simple chores and movements can cause vertebrae to break. Until recently, not much could be done to strengthen the vertebrae to prevent these fractures and the severe pain they cause in the elderly. In the past, individuals with severe osteoporosis suffered greatly and many became bed-ridden, unable to move without causing extreme pain and additional fractures.

Now, thanks to medical science, we can be cemented together again with a procedure called Vertebroplasty. This technique is a minimally invasive, non-surgical therapy used to strengthen a broken vertebra that has been weakened by osteoporosis. Vertebroplasty is used to treat the severe, chronic pain caused by osteoporotic compression fractures and is frequently performed on older patients too frail to tolerate open spinal surgery or with bones that are too weak for surgical repair. The vertebroplasty is proving to be a very successful treatment.

Vertebroplasty can increase functional abilities and allow patients to return to previous levels of activity. It also prevents further vertebral collapse by stabilization if the vertebra. Vertebroplasty is usually very successful in alleviating pain from the fractures. This technique is performed on an outpatient basis and is accomplished by injecting an orthopedic cement mixture through a needle into the fractured bone of the spinal column. There is almost instant relief from the chronic pain the individual has been experiencing.

Thanks to this new procedure, we can now be cemented back together again!