Bone Cements Used in Vertebral Augmentation: A State-of-the-art Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Material Science
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are prevalent in osteoporotic patients, increasing with the aging population.
• VCFs lead to significant pain and reduced mobility, necessitating effective treatment.
• Current treatments include cement augmentation using acrylic or calcium phosphate bone cements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the limitations and challenges associated with current bone cement materials used in VCF treatment.
• To explore advancements in biomedical engineering and material science for improved VCF management.

Main Methods:

• This study is a narrative review of existing literature.
• It focuses on identifying pitfalls and barriers of various bone cement types for VCFs.

Main Results:

• Acrylic and calcium phosphate bone cements, while effective, have associated intraoperative and postoperative complications.
• Recent biomedical engineering and material science discoveries offer potential solutions to these limitations.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for improved bone cement materials to overcome current treatment limitations for VCFs.
• Advancements in material science hold promise for developing safer and more effective VCF treatments.