Spinal Fracture Specialist
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Benjamin R. Cohen, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Spinal Surgeon & Neurosurgeon located in Garden City, NY
Early treatment for any type of spinal fracture is essential to protect the nerves in your spinal cord and ensure spinal stability. Benjamin Cohen, MD, provides comprehensive conservative and surgical treatments that have helped countless patients successfully overcome a spinal fracture and get back to their activities. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Garden City, New York, or book an appointment online.
Spinal Fracture
What causes a spinal fracture?
Whether your fracture occurs in your neck (cervical spine), mid-back (thoracic spine), or lower back (lumbar spine), spinal fractures are usually caused by high-energy trauma, such as:
- Fall from significant height
- Car or motorcycle crash
- Sports accident
- Violence such as a gunshot wound
Fractures to your spine should always receive immediate medical attention due to the chance of nerve damage. Additionally, any event that can fracture your spine may cause other serious damage, such as a traumatic brain injury.
What causes a spinal compression fracture?
Spinal compression fractures occur when a vertebra collapses because it’s too weak to support the usual amount of weight carried by your spine. You may develop a compression fracture during a traumatic injury or when your spine is weakened by a tumor or infection. However, osteoporosis is the most common cause of a spinal compression fracture.
How are spinal fractures treated?
After you receive imaging and neurological tests, Dr. Cohen determines the best treatment based on the type of fracture. The first line of treatment is nonsurgical care, such as immobilizing your back to give the spine time to heal.
Dr. Cohen may recommend surgery when he needs to realign the bones, relieve pressure on the spinal cord, or stabilize the spine. He specializes in numerous procedures to treat spinal fractures; here are two examples:
Lumbar vertebral body replacement
When the vertebral body (the thick oval bone in each vertebra) is fractured, it causes significant spinal instability and often pinches spinal nerves. To repair this type of fracture, Dr. Cohen removes the fractured area and replaces it with a small metal cage.
The cage is filled with bone graft materials that stimulate bone growth. As the vertebral body heals, new bone grows through the cage, gradually fusing with the existing bone to restore bone.
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
These procedures treat a compression fracture. During both procedures, Dr. Cohen inserts a hollow needle into the collapsed vertebra and injects bone cement. The cement quickly dries, restoring the vertebra’s strength and integrity, and stabilizing the spine.
The difference between the two is that kyphoplasty restores the bone’s normal height by using a balloon to expand the bone before injecting cement.
If you suffer a spine fracture, call Benjamin Cohen, MD, or book an appointment online to get exceptional fracture care.
