What is kyphoplasty?
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for compression fractures in your back. Left untreated, compression fractures cause pain and a hunched over appearance.
Compression fractures are small breaks on the front side of the vertebral bones in your back. These fractures may compress your vertebra or cause them to collapse, shortening your spine, or making it curve forward.
Most compression fractures are due to osteoporosis, a thinning of your bones. Spine tumors and cancer can also cause compression fractures. Kyphoplasty works by restoring your damaged vertebra with special cement. The goals of kyphoplasty are to:
- Reduce pain from the fracture
- Stabilize your vertebra
- Restore your vertebra back to normal height
Most people enjoy rapid pain relief, although results vary.
Am I a candidate for kyphoplasty for back pain?
The team may recommend kyphoplasty for you if your pain is caused by a compression fracture related to osteoporosis, and not conditions like spinal stenosis, disk herniation, or arthritis. They may order imaging tests, such as a spinal X-ray or a computed tomography (CT) scan, to locate the fracture.
If you do have osteoporosis, the team performs a complete workup with recommendations to improve your health with osteoporosis.
What happens during kyphoplasty?
The team performs your procedure after you receive anesthesia. They use a thin wire to create a narrow channel through the skin of your back and into your collapsed vertebra. They create a small pocket in the vertebra, filling it with bone cement.
In many cases, you’ll feel immediate pain relief. You should be able to go home the same day as your treatment.
What is bone RF ablation?
The team may recommend RF ablation instead of plain kyphoplasty if you have a spinal tumor. The treatment involves a handheld ablation probe with a long needle-like tip. The active tip of the ablation probe is internally cooled with circulating water to moderate the temperature, while RF energy heats your tissue to ablate, or destroy, the tumor.
OsteoCool™ or STAR™ Tumor Ablation Systems are available and revealed great safety and effectiveness in research and clinical practice.
If you’re struggling with back pain related to a compression fracture, or another condition, you have many treatment options. Take a step for your overall health today by calling or booking a consultation online with Restorative Physical Medicine.
