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Success of Kyphoplasty Procedures

Kyphoplasty is surgical procedure used to restore the shape and height of a collapsed vertebra. The minimally invasive procedure is often used to treat veterbral compression fractures (VCF) that occur due to the effects of cancer, osteoporosis or tumors. Over 95 percent of patients who have the procedure consider it successful, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

  1. Identification

    • VCFs occur when small breaks develop in the vertebral body, the mass of bone at the front of each vertebrae. When breaks occur, the vertebra collapses, which causes a painful shortening and curvature of the spine. Osteoporosis is the main cause of VCFs, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Osteoporosis is a condition related to aging that is characterized by thinning bone tissue and decreased bone density.

    Procedure

    • During kyphoplasty, an inflatable balloon device is inserted into the vertebra though a hollow needle, or trocar, inserted into the skin. When the balloon is inflated, it restores the vertebra to it full height, allowing the surgeon to fill in the damaged area with bone cement. An X-ray procedure called fluoroscopy is used in conjunction with kyphoplasty to help the surgeon guide the needle into the vertebra. A dye is injected into a vein, which causes the bones of the spine to become more visible when X-rayed. Patients can usually return home several hours after the procedure or during the next day.

    Kyphoplasty Candidates

    • Kyphoplasty is most often successful when performed on patients who have developed a progressive weakness in the bones that resulted in a VCF. The procedure is not recommended for people who have a curved spine resulting from conditions other than osteoporosis, according to the AAOS. It is also not appropriate if a VCF occurred after an accident or if you have a herniated disk or spinal stenosis accompanied by spinal cord or nerve compression and a loss of nerve function that is unrelated to a VCF.

    Effects

    • The bone cement used in kyphoplasty hardens in 15 minutes, with pain relief and mobility improving within 48 hours following the procedure. People who have kyphoplasty are able to immediately return to their usual activities without the need for physical therapy. Two-thirds of patients can significantly reduce the amount of pain medication they take within a few weeks of the procedure, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

    Warning

    • If you have severe osteoporosis and undergo kyphoplasty, it is possible that you could experience VCFs in other areas of the spine. While taking bone-strengthening medication can help reduce this risk, additional kyphoplasty procedures may be needed if there are further fractures. In some cases, bone cement may leak from the vertebral body. Although this does not usually cause a problem, in rare cases the leakage can cause irritation of the spinal cord or nerves.

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