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The osteoporotic spine loses strength and with age a vertebra (B) can collapse causing loss of height, compression fractures,  and severe pain. In addition, degenerative disc disease (A) often has proliferative bone spurs, and sclerosis and arthritis of the facet joints (D), which together can cause painful compression of the exiting nerve roots (C).
Percutaneous transpedicular polymethylmethacrylate vertebroplasty (PTPV) is a therapeutic neuroradiological procedure in which an acrylic cement is injected into the partially collapsed vertebral body to stabilize the bone. Once hardened, the cement prevents further compression fracture. Most patients have a marked improvement in the pain associated with this instability.
With fluoroscopic guidance, the facet joints themselves can be injected with medicines to relieve pain in the arthritic joints. Also, epidural steroid injections can reduce the inflammation around the exiting nerve roots, also improving pain.
The Neuroradiologists of RCND are trained to aid in the treatment of back pain due to these conditions. Ask your physician if you are a candidate for these procedures. Contact us for more information.
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