Vertebral Body Compression Fractures

Osteoporosis, a disease that causes the bones to become brittle and prone to breakage, can cause vertebrae (the bones that support the spinal cord) to fracture.  The 24 vertebrae are normally stacked on top of each other in a gentle "S"-type curvature.  Osteoporosis can cause a compression fracture of one or more bones of the spine.  Compression fractures cause the vertebrae to flatten out, increasing pressure on surrounding structures and causing significant pain.  Conventional treatment, which consists of pain medication, bed rest, and the use of a back brace, does not effectively reduce the pain.

Interventional neuroradiologic treatment for compression fractures involves the insertion of a material into the fractured area through a catheter (a thin tube inserted into the bone).  The material elevates the bone to the appropriate level and can relieve pain and pressure.  This type of treatment, called vertebroplasty, typically allows patients to be released from the hospital in one day and to return to their normal activities with little or no pain.