A vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that relieves back pain caused by osteoporotic spinal fractures using bone cement injected directly into the broken back bone through a small incision.
How to Prepare for a Vertebroplasty
- Please arrive 2-4 hours before your procedure for lab tests. Your referring physician may require you to get additional image testing to provide your interventional radiologist with a clear view of the spinal fracture.
- If you are take blood thinners, you may need to stop a week before your procedure is done.
What to Expect
- The procedure takes one hour (will take longer if more than one vertebra is being treated).
- You will be under light sedation injected through an IV, so you will be awake, but should not experience pain during the procedure.
- You are positioned on your stomach throughout the procedure, and your interventional radiologist accesses the spine through the back.
- A small incision is made on your back, and under X-ray guidance, your interventional radiologist inserts the needle until the tip is inside the fractured vertebra.
- Bone cement is fed from the needle into the fracture to fill the cavity, gluing the bone back together. It takes minutes to harden. Your interventional radiologist monitors this through X-rays to make sure the cement has set properly.
- The needle is removed, and the area of incision is dressed.
What to Expect after Vertebroplasty
- Recovery from the procedure takes 4 to 6 hours, and you can go home the same day the procedure was completed.
- You should experience pain relief within a few hours after the procedure.
- We want to make sure that you’re comfortable and improving – Your interventional radiologist will schedule a follow up appointment 1 to 2 weeks post-procedure to monitor your progress.
For More Information
For more information on the vertebroplasty procedure, or to schedule an appointment with an interventional radiologist, please call 847.570.2160.