ArthroCare Corp. has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market its Parallax Contour Vertebral Augmentation Device. The Contour device can now be used during minimally invasive surgical procedures to treat spinal fractures caused by multiple myeloma bone lesions.

Weakening of the vertebrae, the bones that make up the spine, can result in vertebral compression fractures. Though the most common cause of vertebral compression fractures is osteoporosis, they may also be caused by multiple myeloma tumors.

Patients with vertebral compression fractures often suffer from debilitating pain and may experience …

The potential benefits of vesselplasty for the treatment of spinal fractures are highlighted in a recent study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.  Patients treated with vesselplasty, including some with multiple myeloma, experienced significant reductions in pain, immobility, and the use of painkillers.

Spinal fractures, also known as collapsed vertebrae or vertebral compression fractures, can develop in multiple myeloma patients who suffer from bone weakening.

Vesselplasty is a minimally invasive, image-guided surgical procedure that has emerged as an alternative to the conventional treatments of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.  A major advantage …