title: Prophylactic injection of methylmetacrylate in vertebrae located between two previously cemented levels does not prevent a subsequent compression fracture in a patient with bone fragility.
abstract: A 68-year-old woman with a fragility fracture of the fourth lumbar vertebra was treated with a first vertebroplasty using methylmetacrylate with an initial good pain relief. Early painful recurrent vertebral fractures led to iterative vertebroplasties. Furthermore prophylactic treatment with methylmetacrylate of a non-fractured vertebra located between two previously injected ones did not prevent its collapse. This case report underlines the lack of a clear evaluation benefit/risk ratio of these procedures in patients with non-malignant bone fragility.
authors.affiliation: Service of Bone Diseases [WHO Collaborating Center for Osteoporosis Prevention], Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University Hospital, 24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. brigitte.uebelhart@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uebelhart
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casez
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzoli
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louis-Simonet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001843:Bone Cements; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D020366:Methylmethacrylate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012008:Recurrence; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D020366:Methylmethacrylate