Gary,
Thanks for the update and hope all goes perfectly. I'm curious why vertebroplasty instead of kyphoplasty? I had read about less risk with the latter due to cement escape. Just curious for future reference.
Best! BN
Forums
Re: Treatment for compression fracture in spine?
That's a good question. It's one that the doctor would know though. I think in my case, the vertebrae cant be "pumped" up again, and they are just trying to stabilize it.
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=vertebro
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=vertebro
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GaryH - Name: GaryH
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Nov./97
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Treatment for compression fracture in spine?
Hello everyone,
I am so glad to have found this forum and this topic. I had a kyphoplasty a week ago for a compression fracture of my L1. I had been in so much pain for several months before the fracture was finally found on MRI. I think everyone assumed the fracture was related to osteoporosis, but I heard from the doctors today and apparently the MRI and the biopsy results from the specimen taken during surgery both indicate cancer.
So tomorrow I am off to the oncologist for more more testing to see exactly what we are dealing with. It looks from the comments above that treatment (radiation, chemo) is usually done before kyphoplasty. Does having the kyphoplasty first put me at some disadvantage from a treatment standpoint?
I am a two time breast cancer survivor, but this is a whole new area for me.
Thank you very much.
I am so glad to have found this forum and this topic. I had a kyphoplasty a week ago for a compression fracture of my L1. I had been in so much pain for several months before the fracture was finally found on MRI. I think everyone assumed the fracture was related to osteoporosis, but I heard from the doctors today and apparently the MRI and the biopsy results from the specimen taken during surgery both indicate cancer.
So tomorrow I am off to the oncologist for more more testing to see exactly what we are dealing with. It looks from the comments above that treatment (radiation, chemo) is usually done before kyphoplasty. Does having the kyphoplasty first put me at some disadvantage from a treatment standpoint?
I am a two time breast cancer survivor, but this is a whole new area for me.
Thank you very much.
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Purplegurll
Re: Treatment for compression fracture in spine?
Hi Purplegurll,
With your kyphoplasty, did the surgeons install any titanium supports? If so, sometimes the screws in the titanium supports get mistaken for other objects in some types of scans, causing the doctors to do a more thorough investigation to determine if it is the screw head or something behind it; maybe someone else can chime in about disadvantages of having kypho / vertebroplasty before radiation.
With your kyphoplasty, did the surgeons install any titanium supports? If so, sometimes the screws in the titanium supports get mistaken for other objects in some types of scans, causing the doctors to do a more thorough investigation to determine if it is the screw head or something behind it; maybe someone else can chime in about disadvantages of having kypho / vertebroplasty before radiation.
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
Re: Treatment for compression fracture in spine?
Do not leave a fractured spine untreated. I was told I could wait until after the multiple myeloma was finished and than deal with my fractured vertebrae. Well, before the treatment was finished, my vertebrae completely collapsed, causing not one but 2 major back surgeries. And it won't heal right because they had already irradiated it to shrink the tumor. I still might need a 3rd surgery.
They could have done the procedure to cement the vertebrae first, but no one told me that was a good option or the dangers of a total collapse.
Please treat the vertebrae before it collapses. This has ruined my life!
They could have done the procedure to cement the vertebrae first, but no one told me that was a good option or the dangers of a total collapse.
Please treat the vertebrae before it collapses. This has ruined my life!
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T Marquez
Re: Treatment for compression fracture in spine?
Hello T Marquez
I lost 6 inches in height from spine compression and had to live with daily compression pain and spine alignment pain until I found a way to decompress my back and also support my back.
I had kyphoplasty on most of the lumbar vertebrae in my lower back, which helped some, but not enough, and my thoracic vertebrae in the middle and upper back have flattened too much for any kyphoplasty options. Pain killers just made me sick, exhausted, lethargic, sleepy, and did not help enough.
Now, I decompress my back slightly, using 2 physical aids:
1. When resting, I get relief using an “incline table” set at 20-30 degrees downward slope. You can make your own with pads and boards or buy one for under $100.
2. When standing and walking, you can use a decompression back brace. You can buy one or make your own using leather belts, lumbar braces (like a cumber bund) and 2 modified “ratcheted cargo bars” that are cut into smaller lengths. It will cost about $100.
I also stretch and exercise my lower back as often as possible by lying on my back, bending and pulling both knees towards my head and then rolling side to side. I then turn over and kneel down with my hands on the floor and then rock my hips side to side.
I hope these ideas provide you with some relief soon.
/Bob D
I lost 6 inches in height from spine compression and had to live with daily compression pain and spine alignment pain until I found a way to decompress my back and also support my back.
I had kyphoplasty on most of the lumbar vertebrae in my lower back, which helped some, but not enough, and my thoracic vertebrae in the middle and upper back have flattened too much for any kyphoplasty options. Pain killers just made me sick, exhausted, lethargic, sleepy, and did not help enough.
Now, I decompress my back slightly, using 2 physical aids:
1. When resting, I get relief using an “incline table” set at 20-30 degrees downward slope. You can make your own with pads and boards or buy one for under $100.
2. When standing and walking, you can use a decompression back brace. You can buy one or make your own using leather belts, lumbar braces (like a cumber bund) and 2 modified “ratcheted cargo bars” that are cut into smaller lengths. It will cost about $100.
I also stretch and exercise my lower back as often as possible by lying on my back, bending and pulling both knees towards my head and then rolling side to side. I then turn over and kneel down with my hands on the floor and then rock my hips side to side.
I hope these ideas provide you with some relief soon.
/Bob D
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Bob_D - Name: Bob_D
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 59
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