Dr. Benjamin Elder says some surgeries involve attaching screws or other hardware to strengthen and stabilize the spine.
Mayo Clinic neurosurgeons and endocrinologists, who specialize in bone metabolism, work together to help patients improve bone mineral density before spinal surgery.
This patient had a year of bone-strengthening therapy before spinal surgery to prevent screw loosening.
The therapy can include medications that help build bone back up, as well as implementing lifestyle changes.
As we age, our bones lose some of their structure. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are both conditions in which bones become less dense and, therefore, can break more easily. These kinds of bone density issues are common among spinal surgery patients who are 50 and older. To avoid surgical complications, Mayo Clinic works with these patients to help them improve their bone density before going under the knife.
In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Benjamin Elder discusses how to optimize bone health before complex spinal surgery.
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