Spine Education

Kyphoplasty

kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgical treatment that relieves the back pain caused by a vertebral compression fracture. It stabilizes the fracture and restores the vertebral body height.

Vertebral compression fractures occur as a result of trauma such as a fall, motor vehicle accident or bone diseases such as osteoporosis, certain cancers. These fractures occur most commonly in the middle to lower back region because of the weight bearing load on the spine that causes the vertebrae to become crushed. There may be severe pain or sometimes no symptoms at all. Compression fractures can also result in a progressive spinal deformity and when multiple fractures occur, it causes a condition known as kyphosis or dowager’s hump.

Your surgeon will evaluate the cause for back pain by a detailed medical history and physical examination. Other diagnostic tests such as X-rays, MRI scan, CT scan and bone density test may be ordered to confirm a vertebral fracture.

Kyphoplasty surgery is recommended in patients having severe pain and deformity that is not relieved by conservative treatment methods such as rest, pain medications and bracing.

Risks and complications

As with any major surgery there may be certain potential risks and complications involved with kyphoplasty surgery which include:

• Injury to the nerves or spinal cord caused from placement of malpositioned instruments in the back
• Spinal cord compression or nerve injury caused from leakage of PMMA material into the veins or epidural space
• Deep or superficial wound infection

Benefits of Kyphoplasty

Apart from stabilization of vertebral fracture and reduction of back pain, kyphoplasty procedure helps to restore vertebral height and thus reduces the kyphosis which may develop in most patients with spinal fracture. Other advantages of the procedure include:

• Improved quality of life
• Improved mobility
• Lesser complications
• Reduced hospital stay