Anyone had vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty?

[yaya]

Two weeks ago, I came off my horse and have a compression fracture of L2. I live alone and have 3 horses here, so have to pay someone to come twice a day to care for them and I want to be back to farm chores as soon as possible. There is no pain, though, so I’m frustrated to be told I can’t do anything.

My orthopedist suggested vertebroplasty to strengthen the bone so that when I ride again it doesn’t continue to collapse. The people at the hospital said I may be able to ride again 2 weeks after vertebroplasty (scheduled in 2 weeks), so 6 weeks off would sure be better than 3 months off. (Have to have that verified by the doc who will actually do the procedure, though.) They might be able to do a kyphoplasty which would bring the bone back to near it’s original shape as well as strengthen it.

Has anybody had either procedure done, and how restricted were you afterwards?

[Bluey]

I have two collapsed vertebra, T8 and T9.
That was suggested by my Dr, the specialst said no.

Maybe get a second opinion?

Never hurts to have more look at what is there.

[yaya]

Did the specialist say no to the procedure itself, or just in your case?

There is more in the way to get to the thoracic vertebrae, increasing the risk, but they don’t move as much as the lumbar vertebrae, so it may not be necessary.

The way my doctor put it, with the pounding on the lumbar spine from riding, it would lessen the chance of further collapse or fractures in the long run.

[Bluey]

Maybe it was my age, over 70 kyphosis is expected somewhere.
Gravity always wins, eventually.

They decided to keep an eye on it for now.
Mine are crushed in front, still whole on the back, cementing would also involve trying to regain some space in front, not so easy to do, I think.

Your injury may read differently.
Being recent and if there is still good support otherwise, maybe cementing the vertebrae some would be best?

I was bumping this up so more may see it that know more, or had it done.

[yaya]

The interventional radiologist who is supposed to do the procedure said he doesn’t think I need it, especially because I have no pain. (He was kind of shocked by that.) So he’s calling my ortho today to discuss it. Procedure is still scheduled for tomorrow to keep me on the calendar. (There was a cancellation, so they moved it up a week.) My communication with both of these guys has been a complete cluster_, so I’m pretty nervous about the whole thing. (See above about the nurse saying 2 weeks - doc says no riding for 3 months even with the procedure, and that would be counting from the procedure, not the injury! So he needs to correct his team.)

Meanwhile, today I’m going to a spine specialist recommended by my sister to get a neutral party’s opinion to settle the tie. He saw my sister’s kids when they each compressed three thoracic vertebrae. Both were treated non-surgically.

[yaya]

Specialist agreed the procedure is not necessary, so I cancelled it.

Even better, he said I can do whatever doesn’t hurt, including riding, right away! Just take it slow, and back off if something hurts. Yay!

[Bluey]

@yaya

Specialist agreed the procedure is not necessary, so I cancelled it.

Even better, he said I can do whatever doesn’t hurt, including riding, right away! Just take it slow, and back off if something hurts. Yay!

Yeah, the waiting is a killer, when they tell you it is serious and not to do anything that may make it worse before the surgery and then they say you didn’t need it after all.

Glad that you could avoid that, it seems to be a last ditch kind of thing and not always work as intended.