Multidisciplinary management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures

Abstract

Vertebral fractures represent the most frequent complication associated with osteoporosis. Patients harboring a vertebral fracture complain physical impairment including low back pain and spine balance alteration, i.e., kyphosis, leading to subsequent systemic complication, with an increase in morbidity and mortality risk. Different strategies are available in the management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: medical therapy acts as a prevention strategy while surgical vertebral augmentation procedures, when correctly indicated, aim to reduce pain and to restore the physiological vertebral height. Considering the growing prevalence and incidence of this condition and its socio-economic burden, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures are of utmost importance. Our aim is to review the current strategies for the management of osteoporotic vertebral fractures providing an integrated multidisciplinary endocrinological, radiological and neurosurgical point of view.