Kyphoplasty for Vertebral Compression Fractures: Is It Right for You?

Vertebral compression fractures are common injuries, affecting 1-1.5 million Americans each year. Without treatment, these fractures may affect your height and increase the risk of chronic pain. The good news is that kyphoplasty offers a safe and proven treatment option.

 At Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC, in Sarasota, Florida, our team of interventional pain doctors regularly performs kyphoplasty.

This blog explains what kyphoplasty is, who is a good candidate, and what to expect during your recovery.

Understanding vertebral compression fractures

A vertebral compression fracture is a break or crack in a vertebra (backbone). 

Small compression fractures often heal on their own without surgery, but larger ones may cause the bone to weaken and collapse over time. 

If that happens, it can shorten your height by up to a few inches, trigger persistent back pain, and limit your mobility, which is why prompt treatment is so important. That’s where kyphoplasty comes in.

How to tell if you’re a candidate for kyphoplasty

The only way to know if you’re a candidate for kyphoplasty is to undergo a comprehensive exam and X-rays. 

That said, you may benefit from this treatment approach if you have a moderate or severe vertebral compression fracture, and it causes chronic back or neck pain or affects your mobility.

Kyphoplasty: A safe, proven way to treat compression fractures

Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure designed to prevent vertebral compression fractures from worsening.

Specifically, it restores the affected bone’s height and strength, reducing the risk of further collapse, while helping alleviate pain and other symptoms. 

During kyphoplasty, you lie on your stomach on an operating table. We then administer anesthesia, which causes you to fall asleep. 

Once the anesthesia sets in, we insert a hollow needle called a trocar through your skin and guide it into the fractured vertebra with X-ray imaging.

After the trocar is in position, we insert a balloon-like device through it and carefully inflate it. As the balloon fills with air, it helps restore your vertebra’s height and position and creates an open space. We fill that space with bone cement, which then hardens and prevents further damage. 

Most kyphoplasty procedures take 30-60 minutes. Following the procedure, you’re moved to a recovery room for observation.

Recovery after kyphoplasty: What to expect

After kyphoplasty, most people return home without staying in the hospital. However, you’ll need someone to pick you up, because it takes several hours for the anesthesia to wear off. 

You’ll need to take one or two days off work and avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting until we clear you. It’s normal to experience mild swelling and pain at the treatment site, but any discomfort should improve as you heal. 

For optimal results, take your medication as prescribed and avoid removing the bandage until we give you the all clear. 

Ready to see if kyphoplasty is right for you?

Vertebral compression fractures can affect your mobility and quality of life, but you have treatment options. Kyphoplasty is an effective treatment option that can help you get back on track without the need for traditional open surgery.

To get started, schedule an appointment at Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC.