Back Fracture |Broken | MedStar Health

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Broken back treatment

Our specialists perform minimally invasive procedures that may decrease your recovery time, reduce your risk of infection and blood loss, and help you return to your normal lifestyle faster and safer after a spinal fracture. Our board-certified interventional neuroradiologists work hand-in-hand with our team of world-class spinal surgeons to ensure you receive the highest level of individualized care.

What is a back fracture (break)?

Your spine is made up of vertebrae, which are spongy bones that allow you to twist and bend. Because the vertebrae are less dense than other bones in the body, they are easier to fracture. These types of fractures are often called ‘vertebral compression fractures’ because a broken vertebra often collapses and becomes compressed within the spinal cord.

What causes a back fracture?

Osteoporosis, cancer, genetic factors, and certain lifestyle factors can damage and weaken the spinal bones, increasing the risk of fractured vertebrae. When the vertebrae are weak, routine movements like bending and lifting can result in a spinal fracture. Because these fractures often occur during non-strenuous activities and pain can be mild, people can initially confuse a fracture with muscle strains.

What are the symptoms of a broken back?

If you injured your back, seek medical care as soon as you can. You may be suffering from a spinal fracture if you experience any of the following symptoms:
  • Numbness
  • Tingling feeling

  • Sciatica

  • Sudden onset of back pain
  • Increased pain during movement
  • Pain that usually lessens when lying down

What are the best back fracture treatment options?

Broken vertebrae in the spine can cause significant back pain and limit movement. To relieve vertebral fracture pain and restore back function, our fellowship-trained interventional neuroradiologists and spinal surgeons perform two types of advanced minimally invasive spine fracture procedures called kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty.

Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive stabilization surgery, can help treat the pain associated with vertebral compression fractures and restore any spinal height that was lost due to vertebral collapse. During kyphoplasty treatment, your doctor places an image-guided needle through the skin into your fractured vertebra and introduces a balloon through the needle. When inflated, the balloon restores the compressed vertebra to its normal shape and height within the spinal cord. Once the vertebra is properly positioned, your doctor injects a special medical-grade bone cement to strengthen the area and prevent future fractures.

Vertebroplasty

Vertebroplasty is an outpatient procedure that involves the injection of a special medical-grade bone cement through a small incision in your skin. The cement hardens, providing pain relief and stabilization to fractured vertebrae.

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