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Interventional Radiology contact

Vertebral Augmentation:
Kyphoplasty, Vertebroplasty, Sacroplasty

Minimally invasive treatment options for vertebral compression fractures (spine fractures)

Approximately one million spine fractures are diagnosed in the United States each year. The most common cause is osteoporosis, a disease caused by low bone mineral density. Caucasian and Asian women over 50 years old are at the highest risk, and studies have shown that those who develop a spine fracture are at risk for developing additional fractures, reduced lung function, bladder/bowel control issues, decreased quality of life and death.1,2,3

Vertebral Augmentation

There are two kinds of spine fractures treated by our interventional radiologists: Vertebral compression fractures and sacral insufficiency fractures. A vertebral compression fracture (VCF) occurs when one of the bones within the spinal column weakens and collapses. Sacral insufficiency fractures (SIFs) occur in the sacrum, the triangular bone at the base of the spine. Either condition can cause great pain, and left untreated, they may lead to more serious health problems and/or permanent deformity.

Our minimally invasive treatments for spine fractures in Denver include:

Vertebral Augmentation

Vertebroplasty

Using imaging, the interventional radiologist guides a needle into the fractured vertebra to the site of the fracture. An FDA approved bone cement is injected into the fracture. The cement hardens and stabilizes the fracture.

Kyphoplasty

This procedure is similar to vertebroplasty but includes a special balloon that is placed within the fractured vertebra and inflated to restore height to the bone. The balloon is then deflated and removed, and the cement is injected into the hollow cavity made by the balloon.

Sacroplasty

This minimally invasive treatment for sacral insufficiency fractures is performed by inserting a needle into the fracture within the sacrum. An FDA approved cement is injected into the fracture which strengthens and stabilizes the bone.

Most patients who undergo these procedures have reported fast pain relief and improved quality of life4. Patients who undergo kyphoplasty experience lower mortality and morbidity than patients who receive conservative management.5 Patients requiring opioid treatment decreased from 64.8% to 8.1% after sacroplasty.6

For more information about vertebral augmentation, or to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors, please visit our contact page or call (720) 516-0637.

  1. Lindsay R, Silverman SL, Cooper C, et al. Risk of new vertebral fracture in the year following a fracture. JAMA. 2001 Jan 17;285(3):320–3.
  2. Kado DM, Browner WS, Palermo L, Nevitt MC, Genant HK, Cummings SR. Vertebral fractures and mortality in older women: a prospective study. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Jun 14;159(11):1215–20.
  3. Huang MH, Barrett-Connor E, Greendale GA, Kado DM. Hyperkyphotic posture and risk of future osteoporotic fractures: the Rancho Bernardo study. J Bone Miner Res. 2006 Mar;21(3):419–23.
  4. McGirt MJ, Parker SL, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Bydon A, Gokaslan ZL. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures: an evidenced-based review of the literature. Spine J. 2009;9(6):501–508
  5. Edidin AA, Ong KL, Lau E, Kurtz SM. Morbidity and Mortality after Vertebral Fractures: Comparison of Vertebral Augmentation and Non-Operative Management in the Medicare Population.
    Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Aug 1;40(15):1228-41. doi: 10.1097. PubMed PMID: 26020845
  6. A. C. Gupta et al. Safety and Effectiveness of Sacroplasty: A Large Single-Center Experience. American Journal of Neuroradiology November 2014, 35 (11) 2202-2206; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A4027