Post Surgery Care for Balloon Kyphoplasty

Balloon kyphoplasty is a surgical procedure that is used for a spinal fracture. The bones are moved back into a normal position with a balloon. After the bones are back in the correct position, the balloon is removed and a material is used to keep the broken bones in place. The procedure alleviates the pain of a compressed fracture in the back.

After Surgery

• The recovery from a kyphoplasty is relatively quick. You will feel almost immediate pain relief after the surgery. The procedure is not an open surgery and some patients feel pain relief as soon as the procedure is completed. Others may feel relief within two days of the procedure.

  You will only have to spend a couple of hours in the recovery room after your procedure. The nurse will provide you with medication for pain intravenously and later in oral form.

  The nursing staff will encourage you to get up and move as soon as possible after the surgery. Walking after surgery helps to minimize the risk of blood clots and promotes healthy healing. You should not bend after the surgery and try to not sit in one place for an hour or more.

Recovery at Home

• Most patients can go home the day of the procedure. It is best to have someone with you when you go home to help you for a few days. The doctor will send you home with a prescription for pain medication that will last for the first few days after the surgery.

  The bandages may be removed two or three days after you return home from the hospital. Showering is allowed after only one day, but you should not take a bath or go swimming for three weeks.

  You should be able to return to work and your normal routine within a day or two after the kyphoplasty. The doctor will give you individual instructions for returning to your normal routine based on your progress after the surgery.

Long Term Back Health

• Most of the patients who have compression fractures that are repaired with kyphoplasty also have osteoporosis. After a back surgery, you will have a greater likelihood of facing more back problems, particularly if you have osteoporosis. Treatment for the bone-thinning condition is important to prevention of future compression fractures. Eat a healthy diet and supplement with calcium and vitamin D to prevent the progression of osteoporosis and bone loss. Medications are also available to treat osteoporosis and in some cases reverse bone loss.