Vertebral Compression Fractures

Vertebral Compression Fractures services offered in Sarasota, FL

If you have signs of a vertebral compression fracture, don’t wait to schedule an appointment with Peter Fernandez, MD, and Amanda Fernandez, DPT, MPH, CSCS, at Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC, in Sarasota, Florida. They specialize in minimally invasive procedures that safely repair the vertebra, restore spine strength, and alleviate your pain — but most procedures should be done before the bone heals in its collapsed state, and that only takes 8-10 weeks. To schedule an appointment, call the office or request an appointment online today.

Vertebral Compression Fractures Q & A

What are vertebral compression fractures?

Vertebral compression fractures are different from other fractures. It takes a significant amount of force to fracture a healthy bone. By comparison, vertebral compression fractures occur with very little force because the bone is weakened by osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis develops as your bone slowly but progressively loses bone mass, weakens, and turns brittle. The vertebrae become so weak they collapse. They may collapse when you twist, bend over, cough, sneeze, or fall from a normal height.

What are the symptoms of a vertebral compression fracture?

Vertebral compression fractures typically affect the middle back (thoracic spine) and lower back (lumbar spine). They cause symptoms such as:

Back pain near the fracture
Limited spine movement
Pain that’s worse when walking
Pain that improves when lying down
Pain radiating to your arms, legs, chest, or abdomen
Round-back deformity

When a compression fracture occurs, the front side of the vertebra collapses while the back side maintains its normal height. As a result, the vertebra develops a wedge-like shape.

If several adjacent vertebrae collapse, the combined effect of their new shape causes a round-back deformity.

How are vertebral compression fractures treated?

Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC, performs several effective treatments:

Kyphoplasty

To perform kyphoplasty, your provider anesthetizes the treatment site and uses real-time imaging to view your spine and guide a hollow needle into the collapsed vertebra. After the needle is in place, they inflate a balloon from the needle tip, restoring the vertebra’s height.

Next, they remove the balloon and inject bone cement. The cement quickly hardens, restoring the bone’s shape, stabilizing your spine, and relieving your pain.

SpineJack®

Your provider uses a needle to insert the SpineJack device into the center of the compressed vertebra. Once it’s in place, it expands, restoring the vertebra’s height like a car jack lifts your car.

After the SpineJack restores the vertebra’s height, your provider injects bone cement into the space. The SpineJack stays inside the vertebra, providing additional strength and support.

Sacroplasty

The sacrum, a triangular-shaped bone below your lumbar spine, connects to your left and right pelvis. If osteoporosis weakens the sacrum, it may cause an insufficiency fracture, leading to cracks instead of collapsing like a compression fracture.

During sacroplasty, your provider injects bone cement into the insufficiency fractures.

Call Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC, at the first sign of a vertebral compression fracture, or request an appointment online today.