PERCUTANEOUS VERTEBROPLASTY AND KYPHOPLASTY

Course overview

COMPRESSION FRACTURES ARE PRONE TO PROGRESSION OVER TIME AND MAY FACILITATE THE COMPRESSION OF ADJACENT VERTEBRAE DUE TO COMPENSATORY INCREASES IN AXIAL LOAD. VERTEBROPLASTY AND KYPHOPLASTY ARE TWO PERCUTANEOUS INTERVENTIONAL PROCEDURES THAT CAN HELP ALLEVIATE PAIN AND FORTIFY STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AFTER VERTEBRAL COMPRESSION FRACTURES ARE SUSTAINED. VERTEBRAL COMPRESSION FRACTURES ARE MOST COMMONLY A RESULT OF FRAGILE, OSTEOPOROTIC BONE. OSTEOPOROTIC INDIVIDUALS MAY SUFFER VERTEBRAL COMPRESSION FRACTURES AS A RESULT OF SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT TRAUMA, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM SITTING DOWN ABRUPTLY. IN YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS, A HIGHER-ENERGY, AXIAL LOADING FORCE WOULD BE NEEDED TO COMPRESS THE CANCELLOUS BONE OF THE VERTEBRAL BODY. NON-OSTEOPOROTIC LUMBAR COMPRESSION FRACTURES ARE TYPICALLY SEEN IN CAR ACCIDENTS AND IN FALLS OR JUMPS FROM A HEIGHT. INFECTIOUS, MALIGNANT, OR IDIOPATHIC PROCESSES THAT WEAKEN VERTEBRAE CAN ALSO LEAD TO COMPRESSION FRACTURES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF PERCUTANEOUS VERTEBROPLASTY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VERTEBRAL FRACTURES.