A popular spinal cord injury treatment is being studied after it was found that the treatment potentially does not cure any injuries in those who underwent the procedure.
The treatment, vertebroplasty, injects acrylic cement into bones in the spinal column to ease the pain from cracks caused by osteoporosis.
Our firm’s San Diego personal injury attorneys believe that any surgical procedure or treatment should be thoroughly tested before it is used in order to limit the amount of injuries — especially when it comes to an organ as delicate and important as the spinal cord. When procedures are not tested for their potential harm to individuals more severe injuries may result, including paralysis (paraplegia & quadriplegia).Last year, about 73,000 Americans had the treatment, which costs $2,500 to $3,000, as well as $1,000 to $2,000 for an M.R.I. scan. Before it came along, the standard treatment was rest, painkillers and sometimes a back brace, but those measures did not help everyone. If the treatment doesn’t work not only will individuals still be stuck with the same old nagging spinal cord injuries but also with new medical bills from a procedure that did not cure their injury.
One reason for studying the procedure is that it does have risks, which would not be justified if there is no real benefit. Though rare, complications can be serious. Damage to the heart and lungs – and some wrongful deaths – have occurred when the cement leaked into blood vessels. There are also unresolved questions about whether cementing one vertebra can stress others and lead to more breaks.
Before more people undergo this procedure, researchers should test to determine if in fact vertebroplasty does work and is effective in treating those who suffer from spinal cord injuries. How many more wrongful deaths or complications must individuals go through before someone steps in and determines if this procedure is safe?
Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer to find out how we may help you. We look forward to providing good advice to help you make smart decisions about your case in either English or Spanish. No fee if no recovery.
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
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Tags: osteoporosis, paralysis, spinal cord injuries, vertebroplasty, wrongful deaths
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