Evidence for Use of Teriparatide in Spinal Fusion Surgery in Osteoporotic Patients

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is defined as bone mineral density. METHODS: A PubMed literature review was performed to review preclinical and clinical evidence for the use of teriparatide in osteoporotic patients undergoing spine fusion surgery. RESULTS: Preclinical studies in animal models show that teriparatide increases spinal fusion rates. Early clinical studies show that teriparatide both increases spinal fusion rates and decreases hardware loosening in the setting of postmenopausal osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: Ongoing additional trials will help formulate preoperative screening recommendations, determine the optimal duration of preoperative and postoperative teriparatide treatment, and investigate its utility in men.