Osteoporosis Pain

Invasive Interventions

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are two procedures used in the treatment of painful vertebral compression fractures in patients with osteoporosis who are refractory to conventional therapies such as analgesics, bed rest, and bracing.^34-36 Percutaneous vertebroplasty involves the injection of the bone cement, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), directly into the vertebral body to stabilize the fracture. Vertebroplasty has been reported to provide significant relief of pain and improved function in the majority of patients treated.^34,35 Kyphoplasty, a newer procedure, is claimed to produce similar results as vertebroplasty. Kyphoplasty addresses the kyphotic deformity through the insertion of an inflatable bone tamp (balloon) into the affected vertebral body. The inflatable bone tamp serves to restore the vertebral height and create a space that is then filled with PMMA. Long-term outcome studies that compare these procedures to conventional management are required to define their place in the treatment of compression fracture-related persistent pain.³⁷