Myeloma – Kyphoplasty/Vertebroplasty for Spine Fractures

a couple of years ago
/ Multiple Myeloma Newly Diagnosed
/ By duodesigndev
/ 8 COMMENTS

Kyphoplasty/Vertebroplasty- minimally invasive procedure to inject bone cement in the spine to repair fractures of Multiple Myeloma patients

You are newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). You have been experiencing back pain for months and now you and your doctor understand why. You have a common multiple myeloma symptom- lytic lesions in your spine causing bone pain.

The questions are 1) is your spine fractured in any way and 2) how can you heal your spine and stop the pain (not necessrily in that order).

According to studies, approximately 80% of multiple myeloma patients experience a pathological fracture over the course of their disease and 90% will have bone lesions [2]. In many ways, MM is both a blood cancer and a bone cancer. Manging bone health is a lifelong endeavor.

Therefore the MM symptom causing you to manage your bone health, either for an event such as a fracture or over the course of your life as a multiple myeloma survivor is critical.

Which of the therapies below have been shown to help the most patients with this MM symptom? Here are the three current options:

nonsurgical management- (analgesic therapy, bed rest, physiotherapy, and back bracing)
balloon kyphoplasty-
vertebroplasty-

You can choose to rehabilitate your spine over weeks and months in hopes of stoping the pain while healing your back or you can employ kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty.

To Learn More About Myeloma Symptoms click now

Have you been diagnosed with MM? Please scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.

Thank you,

David Emerson

MM Survivor
MM Cancer Coach
Director PeopleBeatingCancer

Recommended Reading:

What is balloon kyph0plasty? Click the link below to watch short videos about the procedure.

Balloon Kyphoplasty – Video Results

Balloon Kyphoplasty

“Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are similar medical spinal procedures in which bone cement is injected through a small hole in the skin (percutaneously) into a fractured vertebra with the goal of relieving back pain caused by vertebral compression fractures. It was found not to be effective in treating osteoporosis-related compression fractures of the spine in the only two placebo-controlled and randomized clinical trials.^[1] The patients in both the experimental and placebo groups of the blinded study reported improvement in their pain, suggesting that the clinical benefit noted in unblinded trials is related to the placebo effect. Costs of the procedure vary between 3,000 USD and 16,000 USD depending on what is done.”

Kyphoplasty for patients with multiple myeloma is a safe surgical procedure: results from a large patient cohort.

“By careful interdisciplinary indication setting and a standardized treatment model, kyphoplasty presents a very safe and effective procedure for the treatment of vertebral osteolysis and fractures caused by MM.”

What have I learned about MM over the past 20+ years? Myeloma is about two things 1) symptoms (bone damage, anemia, kidney function, etc.) and 2) side effects from toxic chemotherapy.

If you would like to learn how to manage symptoms like bone pain and how to prevent and heal chemotherapy side effects from an evidence-based perspective, I invite you to click the button below to watch a FREE 15-minute webinar:

The role of cement augmentation with percutaneous vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures in multiple myeloma: a consensus statement from the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG)

“Conclusion– The prognosis of MM is continually improving due to medical advances. The treatment of myeloma with chemo- immunotherapeutic agents and autologous stem cell transplantation renders the patient immunocompromised for periods of time, exposing them to infection.

Spinal fixation has been employed traditionally to treat myeloma patients when decompression and stabilisation were deemed to be essential. However, it is well established that in situ instrumentation is at risk of getting infected when the patients are in an immunocompromised state.

If the metalwork gets infected, then the consequences can be catastrophic. Cement augmentation is a very effective way of stabilising the anterior and middle spinal columns without the need for metalwork fixation. It is an excellent way to relieve the pain from a VCF.

The myeloma spine treated with bisphosphonates appears to produce an external scaffold of bone that stabilises even the most moth-eaten spinal elements once the disease process is under control.

An external orthosis can be very effective when trying to achieve pain relief from a fracture. It also helps to maintain the correct sagittal balance in patients with multiple fractures while they heal or before they are treated with cement augmentation. The development of radiofrequency ablation in combination with cement augmentation procedures is currently under investigation with encouraging results…”

Multiple Myeloma - Symptoms - PeopleBeatingCancer says last year

[…] Myeloma Symptoms – Kyphoplasty/Vertebroplasty For Spine Fractures […]

Vickie Peterson says last year

I did not get Kryphoplasty…. on my T-6 …. one year later ….. still hurting … is there anything ….can be done to ease the less but continuing pain ?

David Emerson says last year

Hi Vicki-

I don’t know if there is any sort of window for this procedure. Ask your oncologist. It is possible that you can stabilize your spine. Consider physical therapy, acupuncture, anti-inflammatory supplementation, massage.

Good luck-

Frank j Illiano says 3 years ago

Hi, I’m a MM patient 4 years into it. The cancer is under control with Darzelex and polmylist. I’m very concerned about my bone health. I have many lesions along my spine , ribs with a 2cm in the sacral ala.I was treated with zolmeta early on but developed necrosis of the jaw. Do you have any reccomendations for keeping my bones healthy? Currently I have no fractures but worried about the future as I am an active person. I am taking vitamin D 3000mg , turmeric and CBD.

David Emerson says 3 years ago

Hi Frank-

I replied to your question via your email address.

Elizabeth Meadows says 4 years ago

Hello David. Thank you for sharing this important information about bones and MM. I was diagnosed 3 and a half weeks ago. I do have a slight crack in one of the vertebrae. I do not want any kind of surgery at this time if at all possible. The pain is intense indeed though able to weather through as I have a daughter with complex special needs and trying my best to be the healthiest I can be having MM and using a natural approach to healing at this time. I have no one to have her stay with them if I were to have surgery hence this choice. Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions and will be getting some therapy for this starting next week. I hope you are doing well and am thrilled to connect with a long time survivor! Elizabeth

David Emerson says 4 years ago

Hi Elizabeth-

I replied to your post directly to your email.

thanks

David

Multiple Myeloma and Vitamin D3 as Therapy - PeopleBeatingCancer says 5 years ago

[…] Healing Spine Fractures in Multiple Myeloma […]

Diagnosed with Cancer? Your two greatest challenges are understanding cancer and understanding possible side effects from chemo and radiation. Knowledge is Power!

Myeloma – Kyphoplasty/Vertebroplasty for Spine Fractures

Kyphoplasty/Vertebroplasty- minimally invasive procedure to inject bone cement in the spine to repair fractures of Multiple Myeloma patients

Recommended Reading:

Balloon Kyphoplasty

The role of cement augmentation with percutaneous vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures in multiple myeloma: a consensus statement from the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG)

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