Vertebroplasty effective in treatment of VCFs

The results of a study of more than 4500 patients from six Italian EVEREST (European Vertebroplasty Research Team) Centers (Dr. G.C. Anselmetti-Candiolo Torino, Dr. G. Bonaldi-Bergamo, Dr. P. Carpeggiani-Pisa, Dr. S. Masala-Roma, Dr. M. Muto-Napoli,) confirms the effectiveness of vertebroplasty in treating vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), finding that the procedure provides significant and sustained pain relief.

Patients had immediate relief of back pain and were able to discontinue taking analgesics immediately following the procedure.

Vertebroplasty is an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia and involves injecting bone cement into the collapsed vertebral body. Minimally invasive, the procedure stabilizes the fracture and stops the pain caused by bone rubbing against bone. It is indicated for painful VCFs that fail to respond to conventional medical therapy, such as minimal or no pain relief with medication or narcotic doses that are intolerable.

"In our large series of patients, vertebroplasty proved to be a safe and effective treatment, resulting in same day, dramatic improvement in pain," said Stefano Marcia, M.D., interventional radiologist at San Giovanni di Dio Hospital in Cagliari, Italy.

Dr. Marcia will be presenting his team's results at the American Society of Spine Radiology's 2010 Annual Symposium this week in Las Vegas, during a seminar sponsored by Stryker Interventional Spine. The event is scheduled for February 19, 2010 at 2:30 pm.