2008 Volume 22 Issue 2 Pages 101-105
We report an elderly osteoporotic patient presenting with progressive gait disturbance and weakness in both arms due to a degenerative spondylotic C4-5 disc hernia. Calcaneal bone mineral density as assessed by quantitative ultrasonography revealed that this patient had osteoporosis so she was treated with anterior cervical decompression and fusion using cylindrical titanium cages with simultaneous upper and lower vertebroplasty of the affected disk. The postoperative course was uneventful and her symptoms dramatically improved. Serial radiographs demonstrated only a 2mm reduction in the operated disk height. The authors assume that simultaneous vertebroplasty can be a useful surgical option for osteoporotic patients who undergo anterior decompression and fusion.
