Wooridul was selected as 'The World's Best Smart Hospitals 2023' by Newsweek

Wooridul Spine Hospital (Chairman Sang-Ho Lee) has recently named in the top 100 World's Best Smart Hospitals 2023 selected by Newsweek for the two consecutive times. Wooridul is the only spine specialty hospital among the selected hospitals in the world.

Thousands of medical advisors were participated in the survey, and top 300 hospitals from 28 different countries were selected based on five digital technology categories: electronic functionality, telemedicine, digital imaging, artificial intelligence, and medical robotics.

Wooridul Spine Hospital ranked 98th again out of 300 hospitals. Among domestic hospitals, the ranking was moved up compared to last time in 2021 and it was included in the upper ranks. Especially, it is recognized for its outstanding artificial intelligence (AI) system by international medical professionals.

Wooridul develops numerous minimally invasive spinal treatments such as endoscopic laser spine surgery, ligament reconstruction, bloodless spinal fusion, and minimally invasive spinal fixation. Its unique techniques in all areas of the spine treatment, including high-level cervical and thoracic spine surgery and revision surgery, has been recognized and is being passed on to the world.

Chairman Sang-Ho Lee said, "Wooridul Spine Hospital has been focusing on research and investment in only one area, the spine treatment field, for 40 years, and we are proud of our global competitiveness. Wooridul will continue to develop and exceed the limit of spine treatment."

Transumbilical Retroperitoneal Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Wooridul Spine Hospital developed a new medical technique that dramatically reduced the incision range of anterior lumbar interbody fusion and published the successful results in the world-famous SCIE-level international academic journal, Neurospine.

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion is one of the most advanced fusion techniques, and it is a surgical method that is receiving international attention due to its excellent clinical results. Unlike posterior fusion, which requires a back approach to cut the vertebrae, anterior fusion does not damage bones or nerves, so there is less bleeding during surgery and a low risk of complications and side effects. In addition, because of the anatomical structure, artificial bones that cannot be inserted from the back can be inserted from the front, so the spine can be fused and reconstructed stably, and the speed of nerve sensory recovery is also fast.

Wooridul Spine Surgery Team and President Junseok Bae succeeded in developing an innovative method that does not leave scars while retaining the advantages of the anterior fusion by making a minimal incision of about 2 cm in the navel area, where the skin is folded inward.

According to the paper, as a result of follow-up of 154 patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis for an average of 21 months who underwent 'belly approach spinal fusion', both pain and dysfunction were successfully improved. It was found to be the same as the existing anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Patient satisfaction was very high that there was no scar left after surgery. In particular, as a result of transumbilical lumbar fusion to a patient (61, male) with spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis, who suffered from walking problems due to back pain and leg paraesthesia for 5 years, the neurological symptoms improved without any side effects and there were almost no scars. A patient (72, female), who suffered from back pain, radiating pain and numbness in the legs, and ankle paralysis for 3 years, successfully improved both pain and dysfunction after transumbilical lumbar fusion, and the wound almost disappeared 6 months after the operation.

Source: Kukmin Ilbo (Newspaper)
https://www.mk.co.kr/news/it/view/2021/11/1076100/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34218622/00/

Wooridul was selected as 'World's Best Smart Hospitals 2021' by Newsweek

Wooridul Spine Hospital was ranked 98th out of 250 smart hospitals in the world in 'World's Best Smart Hospitals 2021' selected by Newsweek, a US weekly magazine. Among them, Wooridul Spine Hospital is the only spine specialty hospital.

▲Newsweek's Top 10 World's Best Smart Hospitals in Korea Ranking

Along with leading university hospitals in Korea, such as Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Gangnam Severance Hospital, we were ranked 5th out of 10 domestic hospitals. 

Newsweek said hospitals on this list lead in their use of AI, robotic surgery, digital imaging, telemedicine, smart buildings, information technology infrastructure and EHRs.

Dr. Sang-ho Lee, Chairman of Wooridul Spine Hospital, said, "The 250 best smart hospitals in the world selected by Newsweek this time are mostly general hospitals or university hospitals. We competed with world-renowned hospitals as a specialty hospital dealing only with the spine. It is meaningful that we received a higher score than many other general hospitals." He said, "As the No. 1 smart (digital) spine specialty hospital, we will continue to provide the most advance technology of spine total care. We will do our best to realize spinal treatment without sequelae, safe treatment for the elderly in their 80s and 90s, and a spine treatment that guarantees a happy life after surgery.”

The Royal Family of UAE had surgery at Wooridul spine hospital in Dubai

Patients at Cleveland hospital revisit Wooridul due to complications

Recently, 17 years of old man from royal family of UAE fell down on amotorcycle had severely injured in Abu Dhabi. He was transferred to Mafraq trauma center urgently.

However, medical staffs at Mafraq Hospital afraid of  performing surgery that they would be responsible for any postoperative paralytic sequelae. So royal office immediatly ask for help to Wooridul spine hospital in Dubai. Dr. Chan sik-Shim, director of Wooridul in Dubai, performed surgery in a hurry as he diagnosed neck fracture(odontoid process fracture).

 

                            Wooridul Spine Hospital in Dubai,UAE

 

 

Now the royal patient mentioned above enjoying his ordinary life so much.

 

The reason why royal office ask for help to Wooridul is that they  gave medical treatment over 16.000 patients and underwent 500 operations with remarkable achievements since opening of 2011 Dubai, 2014 Abu Dhabi.

 

Dr.Shim said "Many patients are keep visiting us to have revision surgery after the implications from Cleveland Hospital in front of our Wooridul hospital"

 

The Middle East is becoming an active bettleground  for global hospital include Korea,America and Europe.

 

Many famous global hospitlas like cleveland hospital USA,Johns Hopkins hospital USA, King's college UK, Saudi German hospital  has opened their units in Saudi Arabia to secure a beachhead.

 

                                        

Brazilian orthopedic surgeon hopes to learn new technique

Breno Frota Siqueira, an orthopedic surgeon from Brazil, has been participating in a fellowship course at Wooridul Spine Hospital.

Siqueira said he came to Korea because orthopedic doctors here use modern equipment, which facilitates learning, while those in Brazil can only find limited technology at a small number of private hospitals.

"Many people ask me here in Seoul why I did not go to take a fellowship program in the Unites States or a European country, which are much closer to Brazil. I chose Wooridul hospital because of its worldwide recognition for the clinical treatment of spine problems with minimally invasive techniques," he said in a recent interview with The Korea Times at the hospital in southern Seoul.

Operation costs and difficulties with Brazilian laws make it difficult to develop new surgical techniques in the country, resulting in a slow and expensive process, Siqueira said.

Siqueira, who began his career as an orthopedic surgeon in 2007, also participated in Wooridul's minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) course in 2017, which provides lectures, observation of operations and supervised hands-on practice of the surgical technique.

The MISS technique, developed by the hospital, preserves as much of the regular disc tissue as possible, leaving a minimal scar to help patients recover more quickly.

"I already knew that Korea was a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery and decided to come here to learn about that," he said.

The fellowship course provides easy access to operating suites, which allows the participants to ask any questions about the surgery directly to the surgeons. The large number of surgeries performed at the hospital is also one of benefits in the fellowship program, he said.

Although the hospital treats patients from many countries, he is especially pleased to see Brazilian patients here.

"I remember one patient from Brazil who already had surgeries three times in the last 10 years in Brazil without considerable improvement. She came to know about this hospital after her son's Google searching and visited here."

Siqueira said the patient had surgery with the MISS technique which takes 30 minutes with a shorter anesthesia time. He hopes someday he will treat patients in Brazil with the MISS technique and allow them to be free from worrying about the side effects of traditional open surgery such as backache and difficulty in mobility.

"I believe that one day the medical environment for spine surgery will change in Brazil, as my ultimate goal is to be able to help my patients there, offering less invasive surgeries," he said.

Wooridul's technique recognized internationally :Posted by Korea Times

When stepping inside the front door of Wooridul Spine Hospital in Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul, many can't help but be surprised by the number of foreign patients walking around in the building. 
Since it was established in its first location in Busan in 1982, the hospital has been solely focusing on spinal treatment. Since 2006, more than 16,000 foreign patients from 130 countries including China, Japan, the United States and Russia have visited the hospital for spinal surgery. 
Right before the interview with The Korea Times, Lee Sang-ho, a spinal orthopedic surgeon and chairman of Wooridul Hospital, asked Brazilian orthopedist Breno Frota to meet and consult with a patient from that country with Lee. Frota has been participating in a fellowship course at the hospital.

 

The Brazilian doctor also participated in Wooridul's minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) course in 2017. The MISS program is a training session on minimally invasive spinal therapy techniques, which provides lectures, observation of operations, and supervised hands-on workshops to practice the surgical technique.
Since the hospital started the course in 2004, 403 specialists from 41 countries have participated, with the 100th session being held in May.
"Despite unimaginable pain in their back or legs, many patients with herniated discs are afraid of having surgery because they are scared that such a large and long procedure will produce side effects affecting their daily lives, such as walking problems," Lee said. 
"But with the MISS technique, patients don't have to worry excessively about side effects such as backaches and difficulty in mobility. Patients can sometimes even walk home on the day of the surgery," he added.
Based on a "small is better, less is better" philosophy, the hospital's signature MISS technique, researched and developed by the chairman in 1992, preserves as much of the regular disc tissue as possible, leaving a minimal scar and helping patients recover quickly with dramatically reduced complications. 
Unlike conventional open spine surgery, surgeons don't have to use a large incision over the operating site to allow them to see and access the spine. 
The minimally invasive treatment is an endoscopic spine procedure, which is a way to operate on the intervertebral disc without a big incision. Under local anesthesia, an endoscope is inserted through the skin and a high frequency laser is used for the procedure. Using the high-frequency laser combined with the endoscope, surgeons can remove herniated disc tissue safely even on elderly patients with hypertension or diabetes. 
"The key to this procedure is to treat only the disc segment bulging out of annulus fiber, while preserving normal tissue." Lee said.
Lee came up with the idea of using an endoscope right after he established the hospital in Busan in 1982, when his mother was diagnosed with a herniated disc. 
"I wanted her to have surgery promptly without receiving a blood transfusion. But at the same time, I didn't want her to go through the side effects of spinal surgery."
Lee said he decided to go to France where he could learn the best microsurgery at that time. Lee was able to conduct clinical trials with donated corpses there, but later he flew to Uppsala University in Sweden which had the technology to freeze bodies immediately after death, so he could try operations on a body similar to that of a living human.
His new technique had a great ripple effect in Korea at that time. Patients were flooding into his hospital to get the procedure, but Lee said he soon faced strong resistance from other doctors as open surgery was the common operation method.
"The medical field puts the most value on verification and demonstration when it comes to a new surgery technique. I couldn't blame other doctors for condemning the new method as some kind of magic or fraud, because this MISS technique was radical and innovative. Besides, patients could return to their normal lives just a few days after the procedure," Lee said.
"So I decided to share this technique with my colleagues so that many patients could receive the benefits of this procedure," Lee said.
It is his belief that there cannot and should not be patent rights for medical techniques.
"I thought if I treat around 5,000 patients in my life here, I would be able to treat another 5,000 if I teach another doctor. This is how the MISS course was started," Lee said.
The hospital's international course also provides a fellowship program, with two to three foreign surgeons taking intensive training in the MISS technique for one year. Since 2004, 396 people from 46 countries have attended the fellowship program.
Lee has been dedicating himself to making the MISS technique mainstream in academia for almost 30 years, with 346 papers written by Lee or other Wooridul Hospital surgeons registered on the Science Citation Index (SCI) or the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). 
His dedication has been recognized. He received the Paviz Kambin Award, an award given to the world's most prestigious spinal endoscopy experts, twice ― the Blue Award in 2017 and Gold Award this year. 
Lee now plans to set up a hospital in the United States, but the biggest hurdle is having a license to practice in the country. Wooridul already has 10 hospitals in Korea, as well as one in Abu Dhabi and another in Dubai.
In 2014, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) agreed to allow Korean doctors with three years of clinical experience in Korea to work as physicians there, a drastic cut from the previous eight years. But such an improvement in the medical sector is not making much progress between Korea and other countries, Lee said. 
"We once had a hospital in Jakarta in Indonesia in 2010, but had no choice but to close it mainly due to license issues," Lee said.
"I strongly believe doctors should find patients instead of waiting for them. I hope the government will help us find a breakthrough in the license matter," Lee said.

 

Chairman Sang Ho-Lee of Wooridul Spine Hospital has awarded “The Parviz Kambin Award Gold”

Only two awardees in the world with Dr. Menno Iprenburg.

Recognized great devotion to development of endoscopic spinal treatment for the last 37 years

 

Wooridul spine hospital has announced Chairman Sang ho-Lee has awarded the best honored“ The Parviz Kambin Award”in Gold
which recognized great devotion to all of his life and the world-class masters
who carried out development of endoscopic spinal treatment.

The awards ceremony was held during 7th ACMISST & 18th KOMISS (NASS: American Spine Society) session.
 Professor Jeffrey Wang chairman of NASS was presented this prize.

Dr. Parviz Kambin has introduced endoscopy for the first time to disc surgery so this award named after his devotion.
And also, it has been awarded doctors who gave a great dedication and development of endoscopic spinal surgery
by SMISS & Joimax from 2011.

The first Parvis Kambin winners of 2011 are Dr.Kambin, MD. Michael Schubert from Apex spine center in Germany
 and Dr. Menno Iprenburg from Herniakliniek in Nethlands.
 Next awardees are MD Anthony T. Yeung from New Mexico university in USA 2012,
Chairman Sang ho-Lee  from Wooridul spine hospital in Korea  2015

Especially the best honored Parvis Kambin Gold is delivered someone who dedicate all his life to development of endoscopic spinal surgery.
 There are only two doctors received this best honored  Parvis Kambin Gold in the world.

Professor Jeffrey Wang presenter of this prize said ”Chairman Sangho-Lee has developed spinal surgery which combined endoscopy and laser in 1992.
He devoted all his lifetime to the growth of minimal invasive spine surgery.
He is a grand master in the field of spine surgery and finally changed world standardization of spine treatment “

Chairman Sangho-Lee revealed his impression “ America has acknowledged endoscopic laser disc surgery as standard treatment and adjust medical insurance in 2017.
 It is showing that very active movement to learn and introduce this technique to the world of medical community.
This will be historic moment to clarify world status of Wooridul’s philosophy and minimal invasive surgery techniques”.

 

American doctors are paying attention "Transumbilical Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion"

Director. Bae has introduced this technique at ISASS in LA

Wooridul spine hospital has received great attention from international academics by announcing
a spinal fusion that solves the scar problem with the approach to the umbilicus.

Director Bae at Wooridul spine hospital Seoul chungdam which designated as spine specialist by Ministry of health and welfare
 has introduced Transumbilical Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Degenerative Lumbar Disease
 at ISASS(International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery) in LA Anaheim.

Photo: Director Junseok Bae of Wooridul Spine Hospital presenting Transumbilical Anterior Lumbar Interbobody Fusion in LA Anaheim

"Transumbilical Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion" is dramatically improves the abdominal scar problem of anterior lumbar approach.
Conventional anterior fusion has been widely used because it can stabilize spinal fusion
and reconstruction with direct decompression of the nerve,
but has been pointed out as a disadvantage of large wounds and scars on the abdomen.

To overcome these shortcomings, Wooridul spine hospital has been developing mini-ALIF
for more than a decade and have focused on minimizing wound size and improving surgical outcomes.
 From 5 years ago, Wooridul has developed an anterior vertebral fusion through the transumbilical approach
and it resulted almost no visible scar after surgery.

The core of umbilical approach is that the skin around the navel is folded and wrinkled,
so that only 2 to 3cm small incision site is needed.

Director of Wooridul spine hospital announced
“We had follow-up monitoring 107 patients for 20 months,
 surgical result was similar to Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
but after 3 month of operation, patient’s satisfaction is so high cause of invisible scar.
If we take into consideration cosmetic side with same result,
it stimulates patient’s better quality of life.

“Thoracic endoscope” developed by Korean Medical staff attracts high attention in Austria.

The "thoracic endoscopy" developed by Wooridul Medical Team in Korea was introduced to the medical staff of Austria and it brought a big sensation.
Director of Chongdam Wooridule spine Hospital Junseok, Bae has attended Joimax® Agenda Faculty & User Meeting on March 1st~ 2nd at Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg in Austria.

Photo with Austrian doctors who has received thoracic endoscopy training.

  
He gave an invited lecture and demonstration on the latest treatment of endoscopic spine surgery.
The world 's leading medical development company, Joyimax, hosted this conference and more than 100 spinal experts participated from all over the world,
with the highest level of academic research and Cadaver workshops.
Director Bae has received great attention reporting about “Thoracic endoscopic herniated disc and stenosis treatment”,
“Ventral cervical: experience and long-term follow-up at Wooridul”
which  includes all about adjustable endoscopic lumbar, cervical and thoracic treatment.
Above all, the thoracic endoscopy which was designed by Wooridul  spine hospital for the first time in the world & produced by Joimax was demonstrated.
Many spine specialists have asked questions about the latest technology.
Director of Wooridule spine hospital, Junseok- Bae has awarded  Joyimax Educational Achievement prize, the "Hand Shake Award", for his contribution to the development and delivery of endoscopic spine treatment techniques. Endoscopic spine surgery is now recognized across the world beyond Korea. The United States recognized the endoscopic laser disc surgery as a standard treatment in 2017 and began applying medical insurance.
This is because Korea's endoscopy and laser surgery combined with laser treatment have proven its effectiveness and safeness at the US government level.
"Endoscopic spinal surgery technology is rapidly changing and evolving as it becomes a new paradigm of global vertebral treatment," said Junseok-Bae, a director of Wooridul spine Hospital. "Endoscopic techniques can be applied to anatomically and structurally complicated cervical and thoracic area. It will make a big contribution for technological innovation. " Many overseas doctors are visiting to learn about Korea's excellent medical technology.
Endoscopy technology looks simple but it requires highly sophisticated and delicate technique.
So more than 1000 procedures experience is quite essential.
Wooridule spine hospital is planning to educate and train these technologies so that it will continue to spread correctly.

 

Medical Tourism Association(MTA) has chosen Wooridul Spine Hospital as,

Top 10 Medical Tourism Destinations in the World 2018

MTA is a non-profit organization in Florida that connects quality medical services to patient with affordable costs. They issue bi- monthly magazines too.
As the cost of medical care in the US grows every year, many Americans go abroad to get plastic surgery, orthopedics, and dental surgery at a 40 percent lower cost than the United States, and this trend will continue to increase sharply.
In 2016, over 11 million travelers left the shores of the US in search of different countries around the world seeking affordable healthcare. In a recent report by Visa and Oxford Economics, it was stated that this figure will grow by up to 25% every year for the next decade as the competition for health tourists between countries have becomes fiercer.
As listed by Healthy Travel Media, publisher of Patients Beyond Borders, here are the top 10 medical tourism destinations around the world.

1.India : Patients visit India not only for the quality and affordability of healthcare service but also for the beautiful scenery and architecture in India’s landscape. In India, medical travel brings a mix of pleasure, luxury, and quality healthcare for medical travelers.

2.Brazil : Brazil is the hub of cosmetic and plastic surgery, being the third most visited country, below US and China, for patients needing those procedures. Brazil offers high quality cosmetic and plastic surgical services at affordable rates, drawing more and more health travelers to the country.

3.South Korea : Wooridul Spine Hospital
South Korea is one of the most tech-savvy and technologically advanced countries in the world. In South Korea, patients receive advanced healthcare services with cutting-edge technology from well-trained staff.
The Wooridul Spine Hospital in Seoul ranks at the top in minimally-invasive spinal surgery in the country, performing over 20,000 of such procedures annually. This hospital provides exquisite accommodation with spacious rooms, a personal computer, and two beds in case a travel companion comes along with the patient.
Another reason medical tourists are attracted to South Korea is the insurance coverage offered to medical tourists.
South Korea reduces health cost by 30% to 45% for patients, compared to cost in the United States.

4. Malaysia : Malaysia offers excellent patient comfort with five-star rooms that look more like hotel suites than hospital rooms. In Prince Court Medical Centre, for example, there are indoor pools for hydrotherapy.

5.Thailand: Thailand is most reputed for advanced dental work as well as cosmetic and dermatological procedures. Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, accredited by Global Health Accreditation for medical services, is one of the best hospitals in Thailand, providing advanced healthcare services to over 400,000 medical tourists annually.

6.Turkey: Turkey is a strong contender in the medical tourism market. Turkey boasts of zero waiting times, affordable and quality healthcare delivery. Specifically, in the areas of transplant surgery, radiation therapy for cancer, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and genomic medicine.

7.Mexico: Mexico is most reputed for advanced care in dentistry and cosmetic surgery. Medical care in Mexico saves a patient 40% to 65% compared to the cost of similar services in the US.

8.Costa Rica : This Central American country has ranked high in dentistry and cosmetic surgery, above Canada and US, consistently in the last few years. The country is also building a name in the fields of eye surgery, cancer therapy, and bariatric surgery.

9.Taiwan: Taiwan boasts as the first in kidney transplant in Asia. The National Taiwan University Hospital, where the procedure was performed, provides affordable and high-quality treatment for medical tourists.

10.Singapore: Singapore is one of the most developed countries in the world, maintaining the top spot in the World Health Organization’s ranking of healthcare in Asian countries. According to Bloomberg, Singapore ranked at the top of countries with the most efficient healthcare systems in 2014, above 50 other countries.Gleneagles Hospital is one of the best hospitals in Singapore, offering excellent medical services state-of-the-art facilities and well-trained specialists.

By Author: Renée-Marie Stephano
https://www.medicaltourismmag.com/top-10-medical-tourism-destinations-world/

Osteoporotic compression fracture threatens the spinal health of old age.

A compression fracture means broken bones by the external impact.
In the old age, osteoporosis weakens the bones and there is a high risk of compression fracture,
that’s why much care is necessary. If a compression fracture occurs in the spine and hip joint, it is easy to lose a normal life until you die because you are sick in bed.

 

Photo:Dr. Shih Min,Lee Neurosergeon of Wooridul Spine Hospital

A female, named  Ko 74 years old, started to feel  back pain suddenly after  field work from last autumn. She didn’t fall down or injured so that she was taking rest at home but her pain was getting worse and  worse every. After all she has visited me to appeal for severe radiating pain of left buttock.

After the X-ray examination I found that lumbar 2 was broken.
It is called ‘osteoporotic compression fracture.

Ko was revealed as a patient with osteoporosis who had been treated with injections every three months from three years before the accident.
According to the data from the National Health Insurance Corporation, 855,978 patients in Korea are receiving osteoporosis treatment as of 2016
Due to an aging society, average age of the population is getting higher and the number of osteoporosis patient is also increasing.

Osteoporosis is more common in women than men because of the hormone changes after menopause (estrogen deprivation) and occurrence of the rapid bone absorption.
Therefore, if you are older than 60 years, you should take a bone density test every 1-2 years to evaluate and prevent the risk of compression fracture. Taking calcium and vitamin D helps prevent osteoporosis.

There are calcium-rich foods such as milk, dairy products (cheese, yogurt, milk fermented beverages, etc.) and anchovies. The recommended daily dose of calcium is 800~1000mg, vitamin D is 800 IU.
In addition, regular exercise such as walking fast, proper aerobic exercise, stretching and strength exercise are beneficial for maintaining and strengthening bone density.
Due to cold weather like these days, there is a lack of activity and it is easy to lose momentum. It also depresses the immune system and muscle weakness to elderly people. Furthermore, it is vulnerable to trauma owing to the physical characteristics of elderly people. In many cases, the spine and hip joint bones are broken with compression fracture when they slip on ice, lift the heavy stuffs.

The average age of the patients undergoing surgery for these compression fractures was 70.53. And overwhelmingly 85.69% of them are women.
A total of 20,209 patients who underwent vertebral compression fracture diagnosis and had vertebroplasty at Chungdam Wooridul Hospital from 2000 to 2017 were analyzed.
This means that if you are aged and suffering from low back pain after falling or lifting a heavy object as in the previous example, Ko(f/74), it means that you should not hesitate to visit neurosurgeons or orthopedic specialists.
Anyone who is a specialist can easily detect a moderate compression fracture with a simple X-ray examination. Of course, a slight compression fracture that is not seen in X-ray imaging can be diagnosed by more precise examination such as MRI.
When osteoporotic compression fracture occurs it usually complains of back pain.
However, when the broken vertebral body is pushed backward,
it presses spinal nerve so that stimulates radiating pain of lower extremities, abnormal sensation, lower body paralysis due to muscle weakness.
The treatment is based on the medication therapy for osteoporosis, alongside with that medication treatment of a compression fracture & pain would be done preferentially.
Recently, there are many kinds of osteoporosis medications such as injections that are only injected twice a year, hormones that can be also used directly at home without visiting the hospital. It is convenient to consult with a specialist and choose your own suit.
Under doctor’s consultation you can choose your own treatment in your convenience.
Compression fracture problems are resolved by vertebroplasty if the pain does not diminish after 2 weeks of fixation and medication, or if the degree of injury is worse. Vertebroplasty is a method to fix a fractured site by injecting bone cement using a percutaneous medical syringe at the fracture area. It is one of the most widely used procedures because it is safe even in old age, rare complication, performed under local anesthesia. After the procedure, the patient is discharged the next day and go back to their routine quickly with speedy recovery.