Osteoporosis is a chronic metabolic disease that affects our skeleton and causes a decrease in bone density and strength, which in turn causes people to be more predisposed to fractures.
Osteoporosis is the order of the day due to the increasing ageing of the population. However, only a few cases of high risk of fractures are adequately treated.
Preventing osteoporosis involves closely monitoring people at high risk for fractures.
Age and gender are two of the main factors, as osteoporosis particularly affects women, mostly after menopause, says Dr. Luis Álvarez Galovich, a specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery and head of the Spine Unit at the Quirónsalud Ciudad Real Hospital in Spain.
Alcohol and tobacco are other components that can damage bones, so their consumption is not recommended as a preventive measure for osteoporosis.
The doctor points to the history of fracture and the use of glucocorticoids as risk factors fracture. In fact, this surgeon warns that patients with a recent fracture have a high risk of suffering another fracture.
Hip and wrist, the most affected
The specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery explains that the hip and wrist are two of the bones most affected by fractures due to osteoporosis, but he also warns of accidents with the dorsal and lumbar vertebrae.
“Approximately 15% of fractures caused by osteoporotic causes are vertebral fractures. These cause the loss of height of the vertebral bodies and discs, and exponentially increase the risk of suffering new fractures,” estimates Dr. Luis Álvarez Galovich.
First step, conservative treatment
The traumatologist explains that osteoporotic vertebral fractures cause “great disability” and pain to patients, as well as progressively deforming the entire spinal column. Therefore, he urges patients to treat it as soon as possible, in order to stop this progressive deterioration and the fragility of our skeleton.
In general terms, the conservative treatment It is based on rest and taking painkillers.
“It can be effective in 80% of cases. However, in some cases it can cause progressive deformity and debilitating pain that does not respond to conventional treatments,” he warns.
For these types of cases, new minimally invasive surgical techniques are currently available that offer optimal results, the doctor points out.
Fractures caused by osteoporosis mainly affect the hip, wrist and vertebrae, causing pain and disability. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Surgical benefits for osteoporosis fractures
Among the benefits of the surgical intervention, the doctor highlights: “It accelerates the healing of the fracture, reduces the pain it causes, promotes the recovery of functionality while considerably improving the quality of life of patients.”
Specifically, it refers to vertebral reinforcement techniquessuch as vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, depending on the location of the fracture.
“As these are minimally invasive procedures, they can be used even in the most complex cases or in elderly patients,” he says.
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