What is Osteoporosis & Fractures?

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects mostly postmenopausal women and older men.

Due to hormonal and age-related changes, it entails increasing weakening and porosity of skeletal architecture – a suitable example is pressing a lump of sugar vs. the easily breaking sugar cube. Cancer, endocrine disorders, medicines, infection, and other factors can all contribute to osteoporosis. A traumatic fracture is not the same as an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF). OVCF can happen as a result of simple forward bending, minor falls, or even a forceful sneeze! The great majority of these injuries, where it’s a simple compression fracture, it can be managed with proper spinal orthosis, rest and medications. In addition to Regular exercises, sunlight exposure, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, some drugs such as teriparatide, denusomab injections and oral or IV bisphosphonates can help.
Non-responsive fractures specially those showing persistent symptoms at the end of 3 to 4 weeks of therapy, need surgical intervention. The procedure is call Vertebroplasty or Kyphoplasty. This involves injections of liquid cement in to the fractured vertebra under local anesthesia.

Chronic neglected injuries may develop a non-united fracture or a significant spinal curve/hunchback, which may necessitate surgical intervention in the form of Deformity correction and Instrumented fixation.