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Developed by neurosurgeons, this resource provides patients and their families trustworthy information on a wide range of neurosurgical conditions and diseases. Learn about disease and injury risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis and both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options.

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Vertebral Compression Fractures

By:
  • Julie G. Pilitsis, MD, PhD, FAANS is a professor of neurosurgery and of neuroscience at Albany Medical College and chair for the department of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics. To date, she has served as chair of the AANS/CNS Section on Pain as well as chair of the AANS/CNS Section for Women in Neurosurgery. Dr. Pilitsis maintains an NIH sponsored research program focused on device optimization for neuromodulation and has published over 120 journal articles, four books and numerous chapters. She serves as functional neurosurgery section editor for Operative Neurosurgery and is on the editorial board of Neuromodulation.
Last updated: June 18, 2024
Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) occur when the bony block or vertebral body in the spine collapses, which can lead to severe pain, deformity and loss of height. These fractures more commonly occur in the thoracic spine (the middle portion of the spine), especially in the lower part.