A vertebra is one of the bones of the spine. The part at the front of each bone is called the body of the vertebra.
In a healthy person this ‘body’ is composed of dense bone and is very strong. However it can become damaged by injury or weakened by disease. If it breaks or collapses (gets squashed) this is called a vertebral compression fracture (VCF).
Symptoms of VCF include:
- Back pain
- Curvature of the spine
- Difficulties with balance, mobility and even breathing
- Bowel and bladder problems
What are the causes of VCF?
There are several possible causes of vertebral compression fractures:
1) Osteoporosis
Most osteoporotic fractures are a crush or collapse starting at the front (anterior) part of the body of the bone (diagram) but can then involve the rest of the bone as well.
2) Tumours
A tumour in the vertebra may break or disrupt any part of the bone; if the posterior (rear) wall of the body of the vertebra is broken or weakened, (diagram) treatment of this can be technically more difficult with a higher chance of complications.
3) Physical injury
In injuries with large forces, all of the body of the vertebra can be crushed. The rear (posterior) parts of the vertebra can also be disrupted or broken. In either case, an open surgical operation may be required to stabilise the spine, sometimes with a vertebroplasty procedure as well.
Prevention and treatment of VCF
- Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis
- Treatment of tumours
- Pain relief for VCF
Osteoporosis Treatment :
Ways to prevent osteoporosis, or to slow its progress, include:
- Having a healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D (vitamin D is also produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight)
- Taking regular exercise, particularly weight-bearing exercise such as walking
- Not smoking
Treatment of tumors
Malignant tumours
- Radiation treatment
- Chemotherapy
- Surgery
- Vertebroplasty & kyphoplasty
- Embolisation (see section on new advances)
- Radiofrequency ablation (see section on new advances)
Benign tumors
- Surgery
- Vertebroplasty & kyphoplasty
- Radiation treatment
- Embolisation (see section on new advances)
- Radiofrequency ablation (see section on new advances)
