Bone Density and surgery

Maria · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 06:14 PM

This is posted generally for all to answer but I guess Mark you know the most about this in terms of what the doctors accept in terms of t-scores.

I'm wondering if anyone had low t scores or osteoporosis going into their ADR surgery?

In the lumbar area mine is now t-2.6 and I have osteoporosis in the low lumbar vertebrae I think L5 was the worse per the report (seem to average the individual vertebral scores).

Currently I've been using Forteo now for nearly a month and the plan is to stay on it for 2 years and then get Reclast yearly per IV to maintain the return to normal t score/bone density (hopefully).

I know Dr.Bertagnoli does vertebraplasty with degrees of osteopenia/osteoporosis(?) so I'm just wondering if anyone has been in this situation here?

Seems like a number of persons have had vertebroplasty tho not sure if that was just sort of preventive vs. necessity.

mmglobal · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 07:59 PM

Diane's t-score was -2.46 and she had prophylactic vertebroplasty.

I've heard of cases w/ADR as far out as -3.8 w/vertebroplasty. I once had a client at -4.4, but treating w/Forteo for 1.5 years had him down (up) to -2.2

I don't think that moderate osteoporosis is an issue for fusion. For ADR it is a serious consideration. Early clinical trials allowed out to -2.5, then 2.0, then 1.5, then 1.0 for some trials! Vertebroplasty can be tricky, so make sure you get it done by someone with a lot of experience with it.

All the best,

Mark

JeffreyD · #3 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 07:51 PM

I had a hip & lumbar bone density score of -2.1 when my 3-level lumbar ADR was performed.
After a couple of years on Fosamax and calcium supplements, I was last tested in 2008 at -1.7.
I don't know if my current problems are related to bone density problems (post surgical rotation and curvature). I have not experienced any subsidence.
Dr. Zeegers did not use vertebroplasty in my case.
-Jeff