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Guidelines for sites linking to mayoclinic.orgG12 - March 2006 - Vertebroplasty for Osteoporosis
Intro: It even hurts when you breathe. That's how the man you're about to meet describes the pain of fractured vertebrae caused by osteoporosis. But a minimally invasive procedure doctors are studying at Mayo Clinic took away that pain. It's called vertebroplasty and it's improving the lives of many who suffer from osteoporosis.
| Video | Audio |
| Total running time 1:24 | BEFORE STANLEY STANTON HAD A PROCEDURE CALLED VERTEBROPLASTY, |
| Stanley Stanton | "I WOULDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO GO DOWN STAIRS." |
| DOWNSTAIRS WHERE STANLEY KEEPS HIS BELOVED MODEL TRACTOR COLLECTION. | |
| Stanley Stanton | "I LOVE FOUR-WHEELERS. I GUESS IT'S JUST THE KID IN ME." |
| BUT 59-YEAR-OLD STANLEY FELT MORE LIKE AN OLD MAN THAN A KID WHEN OSTEOPOROSIS CAUSED PAINFUL FRACTURES IN HIS SPINE. | |
| Stanley Stanton | "IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO BE DOWN HERE ON MY KNEES." |
| IN FACT THE PAIN MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR STANLEY TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING. | |
| Stanley Stanton | "OH, IT WAS TERRIBLE." |
| IN HOPES OF EASING THAT PAIN, STANLEY WENT TO MAYO CLINIC WHERE DR. DAVID KALLMES PERFORMED THE MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE -- VERTEBROPLASTY. | |
David Kallmes, M.D. |
"I TELL PATIENTS WE HAVE A FOUR OUT OF FIVE CHANCE OF HELPING THEM." |
| WITH THE PATIENT SEDATED, DR. KALLMES INSERTS A NEEDLE INTO THE SPINE AT THE SITE OF THE FRACTURE. HE THEN INJECTS SURGICAL CEMENT THAT PREVENTS THE FRACTURE FROM SHIFTING OR MOVING - WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF THE PAIN. | |
| THE PROCEDURE WORKED FOR STANLEY. AND AS HE REVS UP HIS FAVORITE MODEL TRACTOR. | |
| Stanley Stanton | "I'M NOT A VERY GOOD DRIVER." |
| HE CAN ENJOY HIS HOBBY. SOMETHING HE COULD NOT DO BEFORE. | |
Standup |
VERTEBROPLASTY IS VERY SAFE. BUT THERE MAY BE A RISK THAT THE AREA AROUND THE SITE OF THE CEMENT COULD FRACTURE IN THE FUTURE. BUT FOR MANY PATIENTS, |
David Kallmes, M.D. |
"IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STOP SEVERE PAIN TODAY, IT'S WORTH TAKING THE RISK IN THE FUTURE." |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. | |
Tag: Dr. Kallmes is studying vertebroplasty to find out how effective it is at stopping pain, and whether or not it will cause future fractures. For more information on vertebroplasty or osteoporosis, log on to our Web site at ...
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