Vertebroplasty for severe osteoporosis. Technique and experience with multi-segment injections

In severe osteoporosis progressive collapse of multiple vertebrae is an unsolved problem. Medical treatment appears to be too slow to prevent the course. The evolving experience with vertebroplasty led us to treat these problems with more extensive cement injections. Of 362 patients who were treated with percutaneous cement injection over a 5-year period, 100 were injected at five and more levels (average 7.3, maximum 14). The surgical technique has been refined, allowing six levels to be injected monolaterally under local anesthesia. No more than six levels or 25-30 cc of cement should be injected per session. The outcome of the procedure is favorable in 84% of patients with a significant pain decrease (from 7.6 to 2.7 VAS). More impressive is the subjective report of the patients about better posture and increased force in their back, allowing them to become more active again. The radiological follow-up for 1 year shows a stable situation without further sintering of the reinforced vertebrae and maintained disc space in between these vertebrae. Vertebroplasty on multiple levels is efficient and can prevent further collapse. Due the risk of fat embolism the injections should be limited to six levels per session.