San Diego -- An emerging technology called vertebroplasty is 80 to 95 percent effective in treating common osteoporosis-related spine fractures, for which there are no treatment alternatives. Spine fractures are more than twice as common as hip fractures in people who have osteoporosis: 10 million Americans have the disease, which causes more than 700,000 spine fractures annually.
The experts are presenting their research here today at the 25th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology (SCVIR).
Within three years, more than 100,000 vertebroplasties will be performed for spine fractures, which can cause agonizing pain, loss of height and 'dowager's hump,' or curvature of the spine, according to Dr. John Mathis, an interventional radiologist, who introduced the procedure to the United States.
Editor's note: National experts and patients are available for interviews. Great b-roll is available too.