What to Expect Before, During, and After Kyphoplasty

A compression fracture can produce a host of troublesome conditions — progressive back pain, reduced spinal mobility, and loss of height. You may have limited movement and unlimited pain. You also may develop a curved spine or a hunch. 

Kyphoplasty can help by expanding damaged vertebrae to restore proper height and reduce or eliminate pain.

The team at Minimally Invasive Medical Group in Lake Forest and Mission Viejo, CA, offers state-of-the-art and minimally invasive kyphoplasty, which can restore your vertebrae and spine. Here’s how. 

Kyphoplasty explained

Kyphoplasty, aka balloon vertebroplasty, uses a surgical balloon to create space within an injured vertebra to expand it and restore its original shape and length. The newly created space is filled with medical cement that helps the vertebra retain its shape.

This minimally invasive treatment can restore the flexibility, integrity, and height of your spine.

If you think you have a fractured spinal bone, schedule an appointment at Minimally Invasive Medical Group immediately. You have a better chance to successfully repair the fracture and eliminate your pain with early treatment. 

What to expect during treatment

Kyphoplasty is a quick procedure that begins with a thorough exam—including X-rays—to evaluate the severity of your condition and decide how to proceed with treatment. 

At the start of the procedure, your provider numbs the treatment area and gives you anesthesia to help you sleep comfortably throughout the kyphoplasty. Once you’re sedated, your surgeon inserts a long, thin needle into the compressed vertebra and inflates a balloon at the end of the needle.

The balloon restores the shape of your vertebra and creates space. Next, your surgeon deflates the balloon and injects quick-hardening surgical cement into the newly created space so the vertebra retains its corrected shape. The process usually takes less than an hour.

Recovery

Patients typically spend one hour in recovery. Most patients are able to walk within one hour of waking up and should be able to go home the same day. 

The team at Minimally Invasive Medical Group provides personalized aftercare instructions and schedules a follow-up appointment before releasing you. 

Is kyphoplasty effective?

Studies show kyphoplasty is often an effective treatment to reduce pain and other symptoms. One study treated 350 patients with an average pain rating of 8.7 on a scale of 0-10. Three months after kyphoplasty, the 293 respondents reported an average pain rating of only 2.7.* 

As with most surgeries, you should be in good health overall before seeking kyphoplasty. You shouldn’t smoke or be clinically obese. Your surgeon reviews your condition, medical history, and medical scans to determine if kyphoplasty is the best choice for you. 

If you have a compression fracture, schedule a consultation at our Lake Forest or Mission Viejo office by phone, or use our online booking tool.

*Individual results may vary