Bone-Cement: The New Medical Quick Fix

Bone Cement is being widely used in vertebroplasty, a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat spinal fractures and collapsed vertebrae. It is being labeled as a concrete success in medical field. It is being used to treat fractures due to osteoporosis, menopause, steroids, hyperthyroidism and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. In this technique a needle with bone cement (PMMA, polymethylmethacrylate) is injected into the collapsed vertebra after administering local anesthesia to patient. It solidifies within few minutes and provides support to damaged bone resulting in relief to the patient. It also prevents the movement between different parts of the broken bone. Hence it requires a short hospital stay for the patient and the procedure can be performed with much ease and at significant lower costs. Patient can resume normal activity within a day or so. Bone cement is now being referred to as the quick medical fix material for early repair of fractures.