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6A ♦ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2006 Houston Medical offers new treatment for osteoporosis fractures Special to the Journal Balloon kyphoplasty is a new, minimally-invasive pro cedure offered at Houston Medical Center for patients suffering from osteoporosis related compression frac tures. “Patients have found this procedure to be very benefi cial and effective at return ing them to their normal routine,” states Dr. Garrett Ward, an interventional radiologist on the medical staffs of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital. “Patients experience a reduc tion in pain, improvement in quality of life, mobility and the ability to perform activi ties of daily living. We have found this minimally-inva sive procedure more effec tive than other treatment options for spinal compres sion fractures.” The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour to fin ish. During the procedure, a hollow instrument is insert ed into the patient’s back to create a pathway to the frac tured bone, and an orthope dic balloon is inserted into the bone creating a cavity. The radiologist then fills the hollow cavity with a cement like substance to hold the vertebra in place. Osteoporosis is the condi tion that causes bones to shrink and become brittle and susceptible to frac ture, and it affects millions of Americans - 80 per cent of whom are women. Researchers estimate that osteoporosis is the culprit behind more than 1.5 mil lion fractures annually. Yet, osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because symptoms of bone fragility may not appear until a per son experiences a fracture of the spine, hip or wrist - a sign that the disease is already at an advanced stage. While a person knows when they might have broken a hip or wrist, a fracture of one of the vertebrae (the segments of the spine) can go unrec ognized. “In a spinal column weakened by osteoporosis, a vertebral fracture can occur simply because normal body weight is too much for the spine to support resulting in what is called a compression fracture,” explains Ward. “A compression fracture can occur without a fall. In fact, it can occur in the course of an activity as seemingly harmless as bending to pick up a newspaper.” The intensity and dura tion of pain associated with a compression fracture can vary from person to person. Some people may not even realize they have fractured a vertebra, writing their discomfort off as a back ache. “Usually the patient experiences mild to severe * - M f i ./ JbBF J .jjm tiffifer l?‘ fflH - jf r 1 ~ -%' U '*-* "iflßf -ss&■■£' ,-• pfllfc. D fe. Submitted Dr. Garrett Ward, an interventional radiologist on the medical staffs of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital, performs the balloon kyphoplasty procedure on a patient. What to look for The following char acteristics increase the likelihood that a person will develop osteoporo sis: ■ Female ■ Caucasian or Asian race ■ Thin, small-boned frame ■ Broken bones or stooped posture in older family members, espe cially women ■ Estrogen deficiency due to early menopause (before age 46) or amen orrhea (the abnormal absence of menstrua tion) ■ Low calcium intake ■ Little or no exercise ■ Cigarette smoking ■ Excessive use of alcohol ■ Prolonged use of certain medications including antinflamma tory drugs used to treat asthma, arthritis and certain cancers, thyroid hormones and anti-sei zure drugs. pain at the site of the frac ture,” comments Ward. “The pain could radiate out to the limbs, depending on whether one vertebra is frac tured or several, and it may be accompanied by muscle spasms.” Perhaps the most impor tant symptom of a compres sion fracture is the loss of height, which usually occurs in bursts of one or more inches. “A woman with osteo porosis can lose as much as two inches from her height in just a few weeks,” says Ward. “Eventually, she may lose eight or more inches from her adult height.” Because osteoporosis can not be completely reversed, prevention of the disease is extremely important. The key to preventing osteopo rosis is proper diet and exer cise. Studies show that load bearing exercise plays a very important role in preventing osteoporosis both in adoles cents and adults. Also, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D helps to maintain healthy bones. Avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol intake also reduces the risk of accel erated bone loss. People with a strong risk of osteoporosis are advised to consult their physician for a bone mineral density scan to understand their fracture risk. “Osteoporosis is an under appreciated, underdiagnosed condition because many Americans are unaware that their bone health is in jeopardy,” comments Ward. “Taking steps to prevent bone loss is helpful no mat ter what your age or condi tion.” - j^n •■ , VKw JB§ » duAlLft, * l 'jf * Houston Healthcare goes passionately pink for the cure Special to the Journal Houston Healthcare cele brated the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s Passionately Pink for the CureTM event on Oct. 13. Employees wore pink to support the research and We see people differently. We see them as individuals. At Houston Healthcare’s Human Motion Institute, there is only one way to treat our patients— as individuals. Our leading-edge treatment philosophy combines clinical expertise with a comprehensive, personalized approach. From the prevention and treatment of arthritis, joint or back pain to total joint replacement and spine surgery, our clinical teams have designed our program with one simple goal in mind: keeping our patients healthy and active. If you or someone you care about has a problem related to motion ' or joint pain, contact us and find out why thousands of individuals each year choose us as their motion care experts. ■to , JB^^y ~ ** i >f |$JPr • ' JBb Bk V '^^P * i!sf? : it ,^fciJsCl*. lip Sh| * Hlpi HEALTH education efforts of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to increase awareness of breast cancer. It is expected that 212,920 women and 1,729 men in the United States will be igglH 'IHr C jk' WKK ... ,• mm. .rJHf Submitted Perry Hospital staff members, left, and Occupational Medicine staff members dressed in the pink to cel ebrate the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s Passionately Pink for the Cure Oct. 13. diagnosed with breast can cer, and more than 41,000 people will die from the dis ease in 2006 alone. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Passionately Pink for the CureTM pro gram encourages compa JHf BBBm jN-lTn M: at Houston Healthcare www.hhc.org 478.923.9771 Physician Referral & Information HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL nies, schools, organizations and individuals nationwide to choose a day during the month of October to wear pink to support breast can cer research, education, screening and treatment. Members of the Medical Staffs of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital Daxes Banit. MD Orthopedic Surgery Jeffrey C. Easom, DO Orthopedic Surgery P. Jeffrey Jarrett, MD Orthopedic Surgery Todd E. Kinnebrew, MD Orthopedic Surgery K. Scott Malone, MD Physiatry/Sports Medicine Derrick D. Phillips, MD Orthopedic Surgery J.W. Spivey, Jr., MD Orthopedic Surgery George S. Stefanis, MD Neurosurgery Daniel B. Wagner, DO Orthopedic Surgery William B. Wiley, MD Orthopedic Surgery j 00039304