Vertebroplasty and Cementoplasty (Non-Surgical Compression Fracture Treatments)

The spine is the supporting column of our body. Due to aging, osteoporosis (bone loss), trauma, or tumors, compression fractures can occur in the spine bones. These fractures can lead not only to severe pain but also to postural deformity, height loss, and significant decline in quality of life.
Today, these types of fractures can be treated quickly and permanently without requiring open surgery, using interventional methods called vertebroplasty and cementoplasty.
Dr. Atasoy Clinic is one of the experienced centers in Turkey for non-surgical spine fracture treatment.

What is Spine Compression Fracture?

Spine bones weaken with age or reduced bone density.
Osteoporosis is the most important risk factor, especially in post-menopausal women.
Weakened vertebrae can fracture even from minor falls or sudden movements.

Most common causes:

• Osteoporosis (bone loss)

• Trauma (falls, impact)

• Cancer metastases

• Prolonged corticosteroid use

• Age-related bone weakness

Symptoms:

• Sudden onset severe back or upper back pain

• Difficulty bending or straightening

• Spinal deformity (kyphosis)

• Height loss

• Pain worsening with movement

These symptoms are often mistaken for "muscle pain," but if early diagnosis is not made, permanent spinal deformity can develop.

What is Non-Surgical Compression Fracture Treatment?

Vertebroplasty and cementoplasty are minimally invasive interventional radiology procedures performed without surgical incisions. In these methods, special medical cement (polymethyl methacrylate - PMMA) is injected into the collapsed vertebra to stabilize the fracture and eliminate pain.

Goals of the procedure:

• Strengthen the fractured vertebra

• Reduce or completely eliminate pain

• Preserve spinal height

• Restore movement capability

What is Vertebroplasty?

Vertebroplasty is the direct injection of medical cement into the collapsed vertebra with compression fracture.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia using X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy).

Procedure steps:

1. Patient is placed face down.

2. The location of the fracture is determined with fluoroscopy.

3. A fine needle is inserted into the vertebra.

4. Medical cement is carefully injected.

5. The cement hardens within minutes, stabilizing the fracture.

Procedure duration: Approximately 30 minutes.
Discharge: Same day or next day.

Advantages:

• Pain usually decreases immediately after the procedure.

• No incisions, stitches, or surgical scars.

• Bone strength increases.

• Patient can walk the same day.

• Safely applicable in elderly or high-risk patients.

What is Cementoplasty?

Cementoplasty is an advanced version of vertebroplasty.
Before injecting cement, a balloon system is used in the area with compression fracture or bone weakness.

Procedure steps:

1. A fine balloon is placed inside the vertebra.

2. The balloon is inflated to partially lift the collapsed bone.

3. Then the balloon is removed and the space is filled with special bone cement.

This way, both pain is relieved and vertebral height is partially recovered.

Cementoplasty is especially preferred for:

• Patients with significant vertebral height loss

• Cancer metastasis-related fractures

• Cases where aesthetic deformity (kyphosis) has developed

Advantages:

• Spinal height is partially restored.

• Aesthetic appearance and posture are preserved.

• Pain decreases immediately.

• Rapid return to daily activities.

How Does the Treatment Process Progress?

1. Diagnosis: The location and severity of the fracture are determined by MR and CT imaging.

2. Planning: Which vertebrae will be treated is determined.

3. Procedure: Performed under local or light sedation.

4. Healing: Patient can get up within a few hours.

5. Follow-up: Control X-ray is taken 1 month later.

Non-surgical compression fracture treatments are usually completed in a single session.
Patients return to completely normal life within several days.

Who is it Suitable For?

• Those with osteoporosis-related vertebral fracture

• High-risk surgical patients

• Those with bone weakness related to tumors

• Those with trauma-induced compression fracture

• Those unable to move due to back or upper back pain

These methods are one of the safest solutions for patients in the elderly age group.

Advantages of Non-Surgical Compression Fracture Treatment

• No surgery required.

• No incisions, stitches, or infection risk.

• Pain rapidly decreases.

• Patient can walk the same day.

• Spinal stability is restored.

• Progression of kyphosis is stopped.

• Recovery time is very short.

Vertebroplasty and cementoplasty are considered the most effective interventional treatments as alternatives to surgery.

Vertebroplasty and Cementoplasty Applications at Dr. Atasoy Clinic

At Dr. Atasoy Clinic, these procedures are performed under high-resolution fluoroscopy guidance, following principles of interventional radiology and spine surgery.
Personalized planning is created for each patient; during the procedure, safety, pain control, and proper cement distribution are monitored meticulously.

Our clinic approach is not just to relieve pain but to restore spinal health and improve quality of life.
Patients can walk pain-free after the procedure and can return to daily activities in a short time.