What is Kyphoplasty
If you have been diagnosed with a spinal fracture caused by osteoporosis, cancer or benign tumors, balloon kyphoplasty is a treatment option you may want to consider. Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can significantly reduce back pain and repair the broken bone of a spinal fracture. The procedure is called balloon kyphoplasty because orthopaedic balloons are used to lift the fractured bone and return it to the correct position. Before the procedure, you will have a medical exam and undergo diagnostic studies such as X-rays, to determine the precise location of the fracture.
Balloon kyphoplasty can be done under local or general anesthesia—your physician will decide which option is appropriate for you. Balloon kyphoplasty takes about one hour per fracture treated. It can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis, depending on medical necessity. After the procedure, you will likely be transferred to the Recovery Room for about an hour for observation. The aim of Kyphoplasty is to reduce the pain of fractured vertebra, to reinforce the weakened bone and to restore normal vertebral height.
To confirm the presence of a compression
fracture following tests needs to be done after a physical examination:
- Blood tests,
- Spine x-rays
- Radioisotope
bone scan or
- MRI
How is Kyphoplasty
Performed ?
Kyphoplasty is performed under local or general anesthesia.
Using image guidance x-rays, two small incisions are made and a probe is placed
into the vertebral space where the fracture is located. The bone is drilled and
a balloon, called a bone tamp, is inserted on each side. These balloons are
then inflated with contrast medium until they expand to the desired height and
removed. The balloon does not remain in the patient. It simply creates a cavity
for the cement and also helps expand the compressed bone.
The spaces created by the balloons are then filled with PMMA, the same
orthopaedic cement used in vertebroplasty, binding the fracture. The cement
hardens quickly, providing strength and stability to the vertebra, restoring
height, and relieving pain.
Recovery
from kyphoplasty
Pain relief will be immediate for some patients.
In others, elimination or reduction of pain is reported within two days. At
home, patients can return to their normal daily activities, although strenuous
exertion, such as heavy lifting, should be avoided for at least six weeks.
Patients should see their physician to begin or
review their treatment plan for osteoporosis, including medications to prevent
further bone loss.
Candidates
for kyphoplasty
Kyphoplasty cannot correct an established
deformity of the spine, and certain patients with osteoporosis are not
candidates for this treatment. Patients experiencing painful symptoms or spinal
deformities from recent osteoporotic compression fractures are likely
candidates for kyphoplasty. The procedure should be completed within 8 weeks of
when the fracture occurs for the highest probability of restoring height.
Limitations in the traditional
treatments of vertebral compression fractures have led to the refinement of
such procedures as kyphoplasty. This procedure provide new options for
compression fractures and are designed to relieve pain, reduce and stabilize fractures,
reduce spinal deformity, and stop the "downward spiral" of untreated
osteoporosis.
Additional benefits of kyphoplasty
include:
- Short surgical time
- Only general or local anesthesia required
- Average hospital stay is one day (or less)
- Patients can quickly return to the normal activities of daily living
- No bracing required
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