Don't miss this rare chance to experience vertebroplasty on your computer screen. Join physicians in the procedure room while they repair fractured vertebrae right before your eyes. Vertebroplasty, in this webcast performed using Philips' state-of-the-art Integris Allura biplane X-ray system, can relieve pain and improve quality of life almost immediately.

In a program first webcast on January 28, 2003, Dr. Joshua A. Hirsch and colleagues at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts host a rebroadcast of a recently performed vertebroplasty using the latest x-ray imaging technology. E-mail interactivity allows viewers to ask Dr. Hirsch questions throughout the presentation.

Vertebroplasty is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that reduces or eliminates pain caused by spinal compression fractures, which largely afflict patients with osteoporosis. Nearly 10 million Americans, 80% of them women, suffer from osteoporosis, a progressive weakening of the bones, which often leads to vertebral compression fractures. Nearly 1.2 million painful vertebral compression fractures occur each year in the U.S. As the population ages, the incidence of osteoporotic fractures is expected to double. In the past, people suffering from this form of spinal fracture were treated with painkillers, surgery and/or restricted activity. Patients now have access to vertebroplasty treatment, stabilizing the spine in less than 24 hours.

The online seminar uses RealPlayer. Viewers can download a free copy of the player from one of the links on this page. It is not necessary to purchase any of Real's premium players or subscription plans: The free basic player is all that is required to view the surgery.