Bone Cement Injection

Overview

This procedure is used to help fill open or weak spaces in bones. These voids can be caused by injury. They can be caused by disease. They can be created when a cyst or a tumor is removed from the body. Bone cement can help fill these spaces so the bone can heal.

What is Bone Cement?

There are several types of bone cements. They can have different compositions. They usually come in two parts. One is a powder. The other is a liquid activator. These two parts are mixed together just before they are injected.

Finding the Void

A bone cement injection can be performed on its own or as part of another surgical procedure. During a typical injection procedure, your surgeon uses an x-ray device called a fluoroscope, which shows video images. The surgeon may also use an arthroscope. This is a device with a lighted camera that can be inserted through your skin. The surgeon uses these devices to identify the place in your bone that needs to be filled.

The Injection

The surgeon drills a small channel into your bone to reach the void. A thin tube called a "cannula" is inserted through this channel. The bone cement is prepared and loaded into a large syringe. This is attached to the cannula. The cement is injected into the space in your bone. The surgeon watches closely to make sure the entire void is filled. The cement gradually hardens in the bone. It provides a scaffold that the bone can use to heal.

After the Procedure

Over time, the cement is gradually absorbed by the body. It is replaced with new bone cells. After a bone cement injection procedure, and depending on the bone that was treated, you may need to wear a cast or a splint as you heal.