Kyphoplasty

With one or more vertebral compression fractures, you can potentially experience back pain and abnormal hunching forward (kyphosis). Symptoms are typically manageable without surgery. However, minimally invasive surgery (kyphoplasty) is recommended when non-surgical treatments fail to relieve pain. 

The vertebral body is the strong, thick, cylindrical front of the vertebral bone that plays a vital role in handling heavy loads placed on the spine. When a vertebral body is weakened, it is less capable of handling heavy loads and more susceptible to vertebral compression fractures. Kyphoplasty aims to help restore some of the lost vertebral height and stabilize the fractured vertebrae to eliminate associated back pain.

When Kyphoplasty is Considered as Treatment

Most vertebral compression fractures heal on their own, and the pain eventually goes away. However, when the vertebral compression fracture has been verified and significant pain persists despite nonsurgical treatments, kyphoplasty may be considered if the following are true:

• Pain worsens when weight is applied
• Pain is not accompanied by tingling, numbness, weakness
• Vertebra collapses between 30% and 70% 
• Fracture is less than three months old 

Before deciding on kyphoplasty as treatment, doctors must also decide if the patient is healthy enough for the procedure. 

How to Prepare for a Kyphoplasty

Before undergoing a kyphoplasty procedure, it’s recommended to quit or reduce unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol or tobacco usage. Tobacco in particular may reduce the chance of bone healing after the procedure. 

About a week or so before the procedure, some medications may need to be temporarily halted until after. Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) or blood thinners may increase the risk for complications during the procedure, such as negatively interacting with anesthesia or increasing bleeding. Most patients will not be allowed to have any food or drink six hours before the kyphoplasty procedure. A small amount of water may be allowed up to two hours before surgery.