What is kyphoplasty? What is vertebroplasty? What is spineoplasty?

In the United States, almost 800,000 people suffer from vertebral compression fractures (VCF) every year. Most of these fractures are caused by osteoporosis, in post menopausal women with low bone mineral density. Men of any age suffer too especially from taking steroids or other drugs over the long term.

Both kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty have gained in popularity for being minimally invasive and as an alternative to regular surgery. Most patients marvel at feeling better with greater pain relief and regaining mobility.

Vertebroplasty is an image-guided interventional procedure where surgeons stabilize the collapsed vertebrae by injecting medical-grade bone cement into the spine. The cement fills the spongy bone cavity and any cracks and crevices rapidly harden. The goal of vertebroplasty is to reduce pain, stabilize the fracture, improve patient function, and restore mobility.

Kyphoplasty, developed not long after vertebroplasty, is similar except that the surgeon inserts an inflatable balloon to create a cavity where the cement is injected. Kyphoplasty has a bonus—restores the height of the vertebrae. Kyphoplasty requires in-patient stay. Kyphosis is the condition known as a hunchback appearance. In prospective studies, kyphoplasty has resulted in decreased pain in 89% to 97% of subjects.

The OptiMesh system is similar to kyphoplasty, but instead of a balloon and bone cement, the surgeon prepares a cavity in the vertebrae and uses a flexible mesh container (OptiMesh) with a biologic fill material, which is delivered under pressure to fill the cavity and support the vertebrae.

Spineoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure typically performed by specialists including interventional radiologists and spine surgeons. The best candidates for spineoplasty are those who have moderate to severe back pain and have a vertebral compression fracture that is clinically stable.

According to the Spineology marketing materials, the OptiMesh system has several advantages over vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, the most significant is using the biologic material, which allows bone to re-grow and the vertebrae to heal over time.

However, some skeptical radiologists disagree because using larger size instruments make it a more invasive procedure and don’t see much improvement over the success or safety of vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty.