A safe and effective treatment for the pain associated with vertebral compression fractures can be achieved with a procedure called percutaneous vertebroplasty. The procedure is suitable for patients who have a vertebral fracture that isn’t improving with pain medication or for those who can’t take pain medication because of stomach problems or allergies. Painful fractures due to a metastatic tumor within vertebrae can also be treated with this technique. Performed in the radiology suite, the procedure involves placement of a needle into the fractured bone, then injecting a special cement to stabilize the bone. This results in reduced pain.

For additional information concerning vertebroplasty, visit sirweb.org to learn more.