Description
Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a therapeutic, radiological procedure that involves injection of an acrylic cement, p o ly m eth a c ryl a te, (PMMA) into a part i a l ly collapsed vertebral body in an effort to relieve pain and provide stability. These vertebral fractures may cause persistent, often excruciating pain, which impairs mobility and reduces the patient’s quality of life. Medical management of vertebral body fractures includes analgesics, bed rest, and ex te rnal bracing; howeve r, despite these types of management, progressive kyphosis, prolonged pain, and disability still occur in some patients. In these patients, percutaneous vertebroplasty can be used to prevent further collapse of fractured vertebrae, and to augment osteoporotic vertebral bodies at risk for fracture.
