Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a new procedure offered at Johns Hopkins Medical Institution designed to treat local pain originating from a compression fracture involving a vertebral body of the spine. This procedure is performed using x-ray guidance to accurately place a medical grade cement into a partially compressed vertebral body. This cement-like material is injected in liquid form through a needle placed through the skin and into the vertebral body after local anesthesia is applied to the skin and involved bone. This procedure has been very successful in relieving pain associated with vertebral collapse in appropriately selected patients. Wen most of the patients we have treated, the vertebral body collapse has been associated With mineral loss [a process where bone mineral loss is due to aging or the use of bone wasting medicines]. This procedure treats only the fractured vertebra and does not reverse the process of osteoporosis generally or prevent future compression fractures.

The following information is provided in an attempt to clarify the intended use of this procedure. We suggest that you discuss this procedure with your local physician and let them be involved in deciding whether or not the problem that you have seems amenable to this type of therapy. We will be glad to review your x-rays and medical case history here at Johns Hopkins Hospital and subsequently discuss with you the possibility of performing percutaneous vertebroplasty. Patient selection is very important as the treatment is specific for pain associated with simple vertebral fracture and compression. This treatment should not be utilized, nor expected to be effective, for the treatment of degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, or compression of the spinal cord or its associated nerve roots. Also, vertebral bodies must still retain a portion of their original height if successful injection of the medical cement is to be expected. [This means that we need to treat the vertebral body before complete collapse occurs]. Standard radiographs [x-rays] of the spine are used to identify a collapsed vertebral body. A neurologic examination should show that there is only local pain associated with this vertebral collapse. There should not be pain in other areas or radiation of pain that would suggest nerve compression.

If these criteria are met, then there is a very good chance that percutaneous vertebroplasty will be successful at reinforcing the fractured bone and alleviating local pain. It must be borne in mind that this is a new medical procedure about which we are continually gaining information. To date the procedure has been very successful at pain relief. However, all medical procedures carry associated risk. Infection, bleeding, and compression of adjacent nerve tissue are all possible side effects of this type of procedure. We sincerely hope that this information has been helpful in deciding whether or not the problem that you have may be amenable to this therapy. Once again, we will be happy to consult with you or your physician if you wish to seek therapy here at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Kieran P.J. Murphy, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology
Division of Neuroradiology
Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N. Wolfe Street/Radiology B-100
Baltimore, MD 21287-2182
410/614-5430 (office)

Additional Information

For additional information on the web, we recommend you click on the link below to visit the ACR and RSNA patient information site:

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