Osteoporotic Vertebral Fracture Treatment in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is osteoporotic vertebral fracture treatment?
Osteoporotic vertebral fracture treatment covers everything done for a compression fracture: a vertebra, one of the block-shaped bones of the spine, that has partly collapsed because the bone inside it has become thin and porous. The front of the vertebra usually gives way first, so the bone becomes wedge-shaped.
Something many people find surprising is how small the trigger can be. A cough, a sneeze, lifting a grandchild, bending to pick up a shopping bag or a minor stumble can be enough to fracture a weakened vertebra. Some fractures are found only when a person notices they have lost height or developed a rounded upper back.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the treatment has two parts that run together: settling the painful fracture now, and strengthening the rest of the skeleton so the next bone stays intact. The consultant neurosurgeon leads the spinal side, and the bone-health side links with osteoporosis management.
Who needs it
Treatment suits people with sudden mid or lower back pain, often after a trivial strain, whose X-ray or MRI shows a compressed vertebra. The pain is typically worse on standing, walking and turning in bed, and eases when lying flat.
Most fractures are first treated with pain relief, gentle activity and sometimes a supportive brace while the bone heals. A cement procedure is considered when pain stays severe despite this care, when it keeps a person in bed, or when the vertebra continues to lose height on repeat X-rays.
The decision rests on three things. An MRI shows whether the fracture is recent, because fresh fractures show swelling inside the bone marrow and respond best to cement. The examination confirms the pain comes from that level. And your general health, bone quality and wishes shape the choice. Fractures that press on the spinal nerves are assessed for open spine surgery instead.
What happens
Two related procedures are used, both through the skin with X-ray guidance:
- Vertebroplasty. A hollow needle is passed through a small puncture in the back into the collapsed vertebra, and bone cement is injected slowly. The cement fills the tiny spaces in the bone and hardens, acting as an internal cast.
- Kyphoplasty. A small balloon is first inserted and gently inflated inside the vertebra to create a cavity and, where possible, restore some of its lost height. The balloon is removed and the cavity is filled with cement.
You lie face down on a padded table. The procedure is done under local anaesthetic with sedation or under general anaesthesia, depending on your health and the number of levels treated. X-ray images taken throughout let the surgeon watch the needle and the cement at every stage. Each puncture is closed with a small dressing, and no stitches are usually needed.
The cement sets during the procedure. After a short rest lying flat, nurses help you sit up and walk, and you usually go home the same day or after one night.
Bracing and bone-health care continue alongside, with or without cement.
Preparing for it
Bring your recent MRI or X-rays and a full list of your medicines. Blood thinners need a plan agreed with the doctor who prescribes them, and you receive fasting instructions if sedation or general anaesthesia is planned. Tell the team about any allergies, including to contrast dye or medical materials.
A bone density scan and blood tests for calcium and vitamin D are often arranged, since they guide the longer-term plan. Arrange a lift home and someone to stay with you the first night. If treatment falls near Ramadan, raise it early so fasting, medicines and fluids can be planned together.
Afterwards
Walking is encouraged from the first day. Your physiotherapy programme focuses on posture, back-extensor strength and balance, and you learn to lift and bend with a straight back. A brace may be advised for a period if you are treated without cement.
The bone-health plan is the part that protects your future. It may include bone-strengthening medicine, calcium and vitamin D, and a home check for trip hazards. Vitamin D deficiency is common in the UAE, since time spent indoors away from the heat limits sun exposure. Your doctor explains which treatment fits you.
Contact the hospital if a puncture site becomes red, swollen or leaks, or if you develop a fever. **Go to the emergency department straight away with new leg weakness, numbness in the legs or saddle area, a change in bladder or bowel control, sudden chest pain or breathlessness.**
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty when medically needed, and both usually require pre-approval supported by the MRI report and a record of treatment already tried. Bone density scans and long-term osteoporosis medicines may have separate approval rules. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check your cover on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty?
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty carry the risks of any spinal procedure, including infection, bleeding and a reaction to the anaesthetic or sedation. Cement can occasionally leak outside the vertebra, where it rarely presses on a nerve or travels in a vein towards the lungs. A new fracture can occur at a neighbouring level, mainly because the underlying osteoporosis affects the whole spine. Your surgeon explains how these risks apply to you.
What is the difference between vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty?
Vertebroplasty injects cement straight into the fractured vertebra, while kyphoplasty first uses a small balloon to create a space and may restore some height before the cement goes in. Both aim to stabilise the fracture and ease pain, and the surgeon recommends one based on the fracture's shape and age.
Does every osteoporotic spinal fracture need cement?
Most osteoporotic spinal fractures heal with pain relief, gentle activity and sometimes a brace, without any procedure. Cement is considered when pain stays severe despite that care, or when the vertebra keeps collapsing.
Can the cement be done if my fracture is old?
Cement procedures work best on recent fractures that still show swelling inside the bone on MRI. An old, fully healed fracture is usually managed without cement, and the MRI helps the surgeon tell the two apart.
Will I get more fractures?
One osteoporotic spinal fracture raises the chance of further fractures, because the bone thinning affects the whole skeleton. Bone-strengthening treatment, vitamin D and calcium, exercise and falls prevention lower that chance, which is why bone-health care is part of the plan.
Is the procedure painful?
The procedure is done under local anaesthetic with sedation or under general anaesthesia, so you are kept comfortable throughout. The puncture sites may ache for a few days afterwards, and the surgeon advises on simple pain relief.
Will I regain the height I have lost?
Height lost from a spinal fracture is usually only partly regained, if at all. Kyphoplasty can restore some vertebral height in suitable recent fractures, and your surgeon explains what is realistic for your fracture.
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