What is Kyphoplasty?
A compression fracture or a break in one of your vertebrae can be excruciating. It can make movement very difficult. That’s because a break can result in bone fragments rubbing against each other.

Surgery can assist in dealing with such fractures. For example, kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are minimally invasive procedures that are regularly carried out together. Usually, they can be done without staying in the hospital.

In vertebroplasty, a doctor injects a cement mixture into the bone to provide it with strength.

Kyphoplasty creates space for the mixture. In this procedure, a doctor inserts and inflates a balloon to make an opening for the mixture. The balloon is taken away after the cement is injected. Kyphoplasty is again referred to as balloon vertebroplasty.

Both of these procedures are most likely to be successful if completed within two months of a fracture diagnosis. They can assist relieve pain and enhance mobility when different measures fail to bring relief.

Candidates for Kyphoplasty or Vertebroplasty
These procedures are efficient for treating people whose bones are weakened by cancers or whose vertebrae cave in as a result of osteoporosis, a disease that causes loss of bone density.

Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are used to repair new fractures. However, they are not used as a preventive measure, even for osteoporosis. As well, they are generally not advised for herniated disks, back arthritis, or curvature of the spine due to scoliosis.

These two procedures have not been significantly tested in younger, in other words, healthy people. The long-term outcomes of the bone cement aren’t known, so these procedures are usually reserved for elderly people.

What happens during the procedures?
Preparation

Since kyphoplasty is a surgical procedure, your doctor will possibly order some blood assessments earlier than the day of your surgery. Imaging assessments such as an X-ray or MRI scan will assist your doctor in seeing the place or areas that are to be repaired.

In preparation, an intravenous line (IV) will be positioned in a vein in your arm to supply anaesthesia. You may also be given pain and anti-nausea medications, and antibiotics to stop infection. You’ll probably be linked to heart, pulse, and blood pressure monitors.

Procedures

For these procedures, you will be asked to lie down on your stomach. The location in which the needle will be inserted is shaved if necessary and then cleaned and sterilized. A local anaesthetic can also be injected in the same place.

Your doctor then does these steps:

1. The doctor inserts a hollow needle (trocar) in your skin using fluoroscopy, a kind of X-ray, they direct the needle through your muscle and into the right place in your bone.

2. They insert an inflatable balloon into the trocar.

3. The balloon is then inflated to make the space for the bone cement.

4. Once the space is opened up, the mixture is injected to fill it up. Imaging assessments will assist the doctor in verifying that the mixture is well distributed.

5. Once the cement is correctly placed, the needle is taken away.

6. The place is bandaged. Stitches won’t be necessary.

7. Your IV and monitoring device are taken away.

Recovery after the procedure

Following the procedure, you’ll likely continue to be in a healing room for a while. You may also be encouraged to get up and walk around for an hour of the procedure. Some pain is to be expected.

You may be in a position to go home later that day. However, you may want to remain in the hospital for monitoring if:

· Your procedure entails more than one vertebra.

· There have been no complications.

· Your total health is not good.

Your doctor will suggest to you when you can recommence your activities and if you need to take any bone-strengthening supplements or medications. You’ll possibly be requested to plan a follow-up visit to take a look at your progress.

An ice pack can assist relieve instantaneous pain, however, you should feel better within two days.

Complications and risks

All medical procedure has some risk. There’s a probability of contamination or bleeding at the place the needle penetrated your skin. In some cases, nerve injury can lead to numbness, weakness, or tingling. You are likely to have an allergic reaction to the materials used in the procedure.