Vertebroplasty
What is vertebroplasty?
Vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that treats vertebral compression fractures.
It’s not a major surgery and is a common procedure for interventional radiologists, like ours at MIMIT Health.
The goal of the procedure is to reduce pain and prevent your posture from getting worse.
What does it treat?
Vertebroplasty treats severe pain and prevents worsening posture from vertebral compression fractures in the spine.
These fractures are often caused by osteoporosis or other conditions that weaken the bones, like a spinal injury.
What happens during vertebroplasty?
Here is what to expect when you get the procedure, which typically lasts about an hour:
Numbing the injection site with anesthetic.
You will lie facedown on a table while the injection site is numbed, so you won’t feel any intense pain during the procedure.
X-ray guidance to find the affected vertebra.
The interventional radiologist will find where the fractured vertebra is located using X-ray.
Injecting the bone cement.
Once the correct location is found, the needle is put into place and medical-grade bone cement is injected. In total, the procedure takes about an hour.
Leave for home!
Vertebroplasty is an outpatient procedure, so you can leave shortly after it’s completed.
What happens after the procedure?
Once the procedure is completed, then the needle is removed and a small bandage is put into place. Make sure to keep the bandage in place for a couple days.
Have someone there to drive you home.
Avoid strenuous exercise for at least 6 weeks.
Benefits of vertebroplasty
Relief from the severe pain.
One of the primary advantages is the pain relief many patients experience just days after the procedure, allowing you to quickly return to daily activities and improving quality of life.
Prevents collapse of the vertebra and improves posture.
It helps to restore the structural integrity of the spine and prevents further collapse or deformity. By doing so, it also aids in improving posture and reducing the risk of complications associated with prolonged immobility, such as muscle weakness and blood clots.
You avoid complications from a surgery.
Vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure, reducing the risk of surgical complications and ensuring a faster recovery compared to more invasive surgical options.
