Ask the doctor: What can you tell me about surgery for vertebral fractures?

Since the 1990s, two similar minimally invasive procedures — vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty — have been available for the treatment of compression-fracture pain that doesn't respond to more conservative measures. In both procedures, a special cement is injected into the compressed vertebra to stabilize it. In vertebroplasty, the cement is introduced via a hollow needle inserted through a small incision in the skin. In kyphoplasty, tiny inflatable balloons are inserted into both sides of the vertebra before cement is injected. When the balloons are inflated, they create a small cavity in the bone and help restore vertebral height. The balloons are then deflated and withdrawn, and the cavity is filled with cement. In experienced hands, both procedures are generally quite safe. The main worry is that cement can leak into places where it could cause serious problems, such as the spinal canal or the bloodstream. But these complications are extremely rare in the treatment of osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures. The long-term effects of cement in a vertebra are unknown.