Spine: Over 700,000 vertebral compression fractures – broken spinal
bones - occur annually in the United States. Many of these fractures
result from untreated osteoporosis, and vertebral fractures can cause
severe pain for nearly a third of people with the condition. On
Wednesday, June 7, Marshfield Clinic physicians on staff at Saint
Joseph's Hospital will discuss a leading surgical treatment for spinal
compression fractures called percutaneous vertebroplasty. The program,
featuring a pre-taped surgery of a vertebral compression fracture
patient, will be webcast from 4 – 5 p.m. central standard time. (21:00
UTC) Expert commentary about the procedure will be provided by Fergus
McKiernan, MD, metabolic bone disease specialist; Thomas Faciszewski,
MD, orthopaedic surgeon; and Sanjay Rao, MD, neurological surgeon.