Collin County Living Well Magazine January/February 2022 | Page 55

MANAGE YOUR PAIN DIFFERENTLY

Oral opioids are not the only option for treating fractures .

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis ( low bone density ) and have also tried treatments like rest and oral medication for more than a few days and still have sharp back pain , you may have a spinal fracture , also known as a vertebral compression fracture ( VCF ).
Balloon kyphoplasty ( BKP ) is a treatment for spinal fractures due to osteoporosis , non-cancerous tumors , and cancer . BKP has been shown in clinical studies to alleviate pain and reduce prescription opioids , compared to patients treated with non-surgical management , such as bracing and bed rest . 1-3
While not all treatments have the same benefits for everyone , talk to your doctor about your options and whether BKP may be an option for you .
Although the complication rate for balloon kyphoplasty is low , as with most surgical procedures , serious adverse events , some of which can be fatal , can occur , including heart attack , cardiac arrest ( heart stops beating ), stroke , and embolism ( blood , fat , or cement that migrates to the lungs or heart ). Other risks include infection ; leakage of bone cement into the muscle and tissue surrounding the spinal cord , and nerve injury that can , in rare instances , cause paralysis ; leakage of bone cement into the blood vessels resulting in damage to the blood vessels , lungs , and / or heart .
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MEDTRONIC . COM / MANAGE

1 . Boonen S , Van Meirhaeghe J , Bastian L , et al . Balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures : 2-year results from a randomized trial . J Bone Miner Res . 2011 ; 26 ( 7 ): 1627-1637 .
2 . Wardlaw D , Cummings SR , Van Meirhaeghe J , et al . Efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty compared with non-surgical care for vertebral compression fracture ( FREE ): a randomised controlled trial . Lancet . 2009 ; 373 ( 9668 ): 1016-1024 .
3 . Van Meirhaeghe JV , Bastian L , Boonen S , et al . A Randomized trial of balloon kyphoplasty and nonsurgical management for treating acute vertebral compression fractures . Spine . 2013 ; 38 ( 12 ): 971 – 983 .
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