My dad is experiencing a lot of pain from a compression fracture. His physician mentioned vertebroplasty as an option. From the little bit that I read, it seems like kyphoplasty might be the slightly newer and preferred option.
Does anyone have experience with either of these procedures? Which of these or other procedures or treatments are physicians currently recommending?
Do they work, primarily to eliminate pain but do they also help prevent future fractures? Are there complications that my dad should be aware of, such as loss of motion?
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Re: Compression fractures
Dr. Jacob Laubach from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute said:
"Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are both options for the treatment of symptoms such as pain and immobility related to vertebral compression fractures that occur in the setting of multiple myeloma. They may prevent further compression of an already compromised vertebral body, but they do not treat the underlying cause of the bone disease, namely multiple myeloma.
Vertebroplasty was first investigated in myeloma beginning in the mid 1990s, and evaluation of kyphoplasty in patients with myeloma occurred several years later. Studies of both approaches indicate durable symptom improvement following the procedure.
Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty have not been compared in a head-to-head randomized study, and as such it is difficult to ascertain whether one is superior to the other. Decisions regarding when to employ these techniques and which of them to pursue are made by the treating myeloma physician in conjunction with the surgeon or interventional radiologist who performs the procedure.
In general, the procedure is successful, but patients must be chosen appropriately by the treating physician to ensure that a given individual is an appropriate candidate for this intervention.
Side effects are not common, but can include exacerbation of pain, leakage of the injected
compound out of the vertebral body, and - very rarely - embolism of the compound through the vasculature."
"Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are both options for the treatment of symptoms such as pain and immobility related to vertebral compression fractures that occur in the setting of multiple myeloma. They may prevent further compression of an already compromised vertebral body, but they do not treat the underlying cause of the bone disease, namely multiple myeloma.
Vertebroplasty was first investigated in myeloma beginning in the mid 1990s, and evaluation of kyphoplasty in patients with myeloma occurred several years later. Studies of both approaches indicate durable symptom improvement following the procedure.
Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty have not been compared in a head-to-head randomized study, and as such it is difficult to ascertain whether one is superior to the other. Decisions regarding when to employ these techniques and which of them to pursue are made by the treating myeloma physician in conjunction with the surgeon or interventional radiologist who performs the procedure.
In general, the procedure is successful, but patients must be chosen appropriately by the treating physician to ensure that a given individual is an appropriate candidate for this intervention.
Side effects are not common, but can include exacerbation of pain, leakage of the injected
compound out of the vertebral body, and - very rarely - embolism of the compound through the vasculature."
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