More than a nuisance, back pain can significantly affect every aspect of your life. If you're dealing with a compression fracture, you might have heard about kyphoplasty, a procedure that can relieve pain as it stabilizes the spine.
Award-winning pain management physician Dr. John S. Michels at ISP Health in Dallas, Texas, specializes in minimally invasive therapies, such as kyphoplasty, to relieve discomfort and restore mobility.
Here’s what you need to know about kyphoplasty: what it is, how it works, and why Dr. Michels may recommend it.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure designed to treat compression fractures that affect the vertebrae (bones) of the spine.
Traumatic injuries or cancer-related metastases to the spine can cause vertebral fractures. But they’re most often related to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones, including those in the vertebral column, making them more likely to break.
Depending on the severity of osteoporosis, even a minor bump or an awkward movement, such as plopping down in a chair, can cause a vertebral compression fracture. The related fracture pain can be debilitating.
During kyphoplasty, Dr. Michels inflates a balloon within the fracture, restoring the height of the fractures bone, and injects fast-drying medical cement to stabilize the fracture, strengthen the bone, and prevent future collapse.
Based on exam results, including imaging studies, Dr. Michels might recommend kyphoplasty if:
Not every vertebral compression fracture requires, or is a type that is appropriate for kyphoplasty. For instance, fractures that do not cause pain, or fractures that are compressing the spinal cord causing leg pain or weakness, may not be amenable to kyphoplasty.
Dr. Michels carefully weighs the expected outcome before recommending the procedure.
That said, the benefits of kyphoplasty include:
Our mission at ISP Health is to offer safe, patient-focused treatments that effectively restore pain-free mobility, and kyphoplasty can help achieve this goal.
Dr. Michels discusses the details before scheduling your procedure, but kyphoplasty usually follows these steps:
You lie on your stomach for the procedure. You receive sedation to help you relax. The skin and soft tissues are anesthetized with local anesthetic.
Dr.. Michels inserts a hollow needle into the fractured vertebra using X-ray guidance for accuracy. He then inserts a small medical balloon through the needle and gently inflates it. This step creates a cavity and helps restore the height of the fractured bone.
Once Dr. Michels removes the balloon, he fills the space with a special medical-grade cement via injection. The substance hardens quickly, stabilizing the bone and helps to prevent further collapse.
Kyphoplasty is an outpatient procedure that typically takes less than an hour per vertebra. You can expect to return home the same day. We ask that you arrange a ride since it can take several hours for the sedative to wear off completely.
Your activities may be limited until the treated vertebrae heal completely. Dr. Michels may also recommend physical rehabilitation afterward to help restore your strength and flexibility. Otherwise, kyphoplasty is usually well-tolerated, and pain relief typically occurs within hours to days.
Schedule an evaluation with Dr. Michels today at our Dallas, Texas, office to learn more about kyphoplasty and other pain management services we offer.
