Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing

Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)

Reference 27

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fracture

Application No.

27
Application NameVertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fracture
Advisory PanelsProfessor Ken Thomson
(Chair and MSAC member)
Dr Kwun Fong
(MSAC member)
Dr William Clark
(co-opted member)
Dr Murali Guduguntla
(Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists nominee)
Dr Adrian Nowitzke
(Neurological Society of Australasia nominee)
Professor Philip Sambrook
(Australian Rheumatology Association nominee)
Professor Bryant Stokes
(co-opted member)
Ms Valerie McKeown
(Consumers' Health Forum of Australia nominee)
Date Received by MSAC Secretariat24 November 2003
Stage 1 - EligibilityEligible
Stage 2 - AssessmentCompleted
Stage 3 - Formulation of Advice to the MinisterVertebroplasty

On the strength of the evidence pertaining to safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vertebroplasty, the MSAC recommends interim public funding for:

- vertebroplasty in patients with painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures confirmed by diagnostic imaging and not controlled by conservative medical therapy;

- vertebroplasty in patients with pain from metastatic deposits or multiple myeloma in a vertebral body

This procedure should be performed by appropriately qualified medical practitioners and this recommendation is to be reviewed within 5 years

Kyphoplasty

The MSAC found that there is insufficient evidence to support public funding for kyphoplasty at this time
Stage 4 - DecisionEndorsed by the Minister for Health and Ageing 27 September 2005
Stage 5 - ImplementationImplemented