Vertebroplasty
What is vertebroplasty?
Vertebroplasty is minimally invasive, image-guided treatment for the pain associated with vertebral compression fractures. Bone cement is injected into the backbones (vertebrae) that have cracked or broken, often because of osteoporosis, trauma and bone tumours. The cement hardens, stabilising the fractures and supporting your spine.
For people with severe, disabling pain caused by a compression fracture of vertebra, vertebroplasty can relieve pain, increase mobility and reduce the use of pain medication.
What happens before vertebroplasty?
People suffering from persistent back pain caused by vertebral compression fractures are potential candidates for vertebroplasty. Patients will be advised of the process, benefits, and potential risks of the procedure. If you are on any blood thinning medications, you will be advised on how and when to stop those medications. Patients are admitted to the hospital the morning of the procedure. No food or drink is permitted past midnight the night before surgery.
What happens during vertebroplasty?
During vertebroplasty, the collapsed vertebra is stabilized using specially formulated acrylic bone cement that helps to provide pain relief and prevents further collapse of the vertebra. The procedure is performed in an operating room using a "C-arm" x-ray machine at Atlas Pain Care, Coimbatore. Conscious sedation, administered through an intravenous (IV) line, is typically used to help you relax but remain awake. A local anesthetic (such as lidocaine) is used to numb the entire affected area prior to and during the procedure. You will be asked to lie prone (face down) on the table and the back is prepared with antiseptic solution. Antibiotics will be administered through the IV line prior to the start of the procedure.
Using constant x-ray guidance, one or two needles are inserted into the fractured vertebra in the back and then a small amount of acrylic resin bone cement is injected slowly into the vertebra using constant x-ray guidance.
Vertebroplasty takes about an hour for treatment of a single fractured vertebra; multiple vertebral fractures treated during the same procedure will take longer. Patients typically relax in a recovery room or observation area for two to three hours following vertebroplasty as the conscious sedation wears off.
How effective is vertebroplasty?
Following vertebroplasty, most patients find a marked improvement in their pain. Within a few days, many patients are able to reduce their pain medications significantly and return to the normal daily activities that had been inhibited by their painful vertebral compression fractures. Most patients report sustained pain relief, even years later.
What are the complications of vertebroplasty?
A pump can help lessen chronic pain caused by Failed back surgery syndrome, Cancer pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Arachnoiditis and Chronic pancreatitis.
Temporary increase in pain is a complication, which rarely lasts for more than few hours, it can be easily managed with pain relieving medicines. Transient fall in blood pressure is a rare complication that is self-limiting and responds well to supportive measures. Complications like infection and spillage of cement into other spaces are rare.
Please read our FAQ section to know more about the do's and don'ts prior to and after the procedure.