Kyphoplasty (say "KY-foh-plas-tee") is a procedure for your back. It is done to relieve pain from compression fractures of the spine. It can return your vertebrae to a more normal shape.
Your doctor may numb the area, or you may get medicine to make you sleep. The doctor makes a small cut in your back. Then the doctor puts a balloon device into a vertebra. The doctor inflates the balloon and then deflates it. Then a type of cement is put into the space created by the balloon.
It takes about an hour to treat each vertebra. You may go home that day, or you may spend the night in the hospital.
Most people are able to go back to their normal activities within a day.
Experts don't all agree with how well kyphoplasty works. There is no strong evidence that kyphoplasty is better than nonsurgical treatment, such as pain medicine, rest, and exercise. If nonsurgical treatment doesn't help, kyphoplasty may be an option for some people.
Procedures can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for your procedure.
Some possible problems from kyphoplasty include:
Problems are more common when more than one vertebra is treated at the same time.
Talk to your doctor about how this surgery compares with other treatments you might have.
Kyphoplasty is a surgery that is done to try to relieve pain from compression fractures of the spine by stabilizing the broken bone with a type of cement. The surgery is not done very often, because most fractures heal on their own. Fractures can happen because of osteoporosis, tumors, or other conditions.
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After kyphoplasty to relieve pain from compression fractures, your back may feel sore where the hollow needle (trocar) went into your back. This should go away in a few days. Most people are able to return to their daily activities within a day.
Your doctor may numb the area, or you may get medicine to make you sleep.
The doctor makes a small cut in your back. Then the doctor inserts a hollow needle or tube called a trocar. Fluoroscopy, a kind of X-ray, is used to guide the needle to the fractured vertebra.
When the needle is in place, the doctor inserts a balloon. The balloon is inflated and then deflated. Then the doctor uses a hollow needle to put a type of cement into the space created by the balloon.
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