Question
What procedure would you recomend vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty for a 69 year old women?
Answer
This can be a hard question without knowing more about your circumstances. Vertebroplasty often called “crazy glue” for spinal fractures, is done without general anesthesia and without an overnight hospital stay. It thus can ususally be arranged quickly which is important as the whole point is to provide pain relief, particularly in those who cannot tolerate pain medications. Kyphoplasty involves inserting a balloon into the collapsed vertebrae, inflating it and then inserting the cement. It generally requires a hospital stay and anesthesia. Its benefit is that it maintains the vertebral height and prevents spinal deformity.
