Suffering with back pain can be one of the most difficult and debilitating problems, keeping you from doing the things you love. Pain relievers may help, but they come with their own risks and side effects. Do not lose hope, relief may be available with a special outpatient procedure called kyphoplasty to get you back to the active lifestyle you enjoy.

What Is Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty, also called balloon kyphoplasty, is a kind of low-risk, minimally invasive back surgery designed to repair spinal compression fractures (places where one or more bones in your spine have weakened so that your vertebrae collapse a little on top of each other and rub together). As they collapse a little, you may notice your back has hunched over a little or that you're shorter, and you will experience back pain. Kyphoplasty can help relieve that pain and can help you regain your height and posture, and better yet, can help relieve your back pain.

What Happens in a Kyphoplasty?

Your expert surgical team will use cutting-edge imaging to identify the damaged areas of your spine. A small incision will be made and a narrow tube will allow a tiny medical balloon to be placed in the damaged area. That balloon will be slowly inflated to lift a damaged vertebrae bone closer to its proper position. The balloon is then removed and a special medical-grade paste or cement is carefully injected into the space created by the balloon. The paste hardens quickly, forming a support structure so that the bone stays in its place. Kyphoplasty is most often performed to repair a single fractured vertebra, but can be used for multiple repairs if needed.

Who Should Get Kyphoplasty

A kyphoplasty procedure is a good choice for anyone who has relatively recent spinal compression fractures  that haven't been relieved well by pain medications. These fractures are often the result of osteoporosis combined with a fall or other injury, or can be caused by metastasized cancer which has reached the bones of the spine. 

Will I Need a Hospital Stay?

Because kyphoplasty at Prime is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure, you should not need a hospital stay, and can recover at home the same day. In fact, if only one of your vertebrae is being repaired, the surgery may take as little as an hour. The expert surgeons at Prime have the experience and skills and access to the latest technology to have you back on your feet in no time.

Will I Need Multiple Treatments?

A kyphoplasty repair does not require any additional treatments for the repaired vertebra bone.

How Quickly Will I Get Back Pain Relief?

Many patients report immediate relief from back pain after a kyphoplasty procedure, though you may have a little brief soreness in the treated area for a few days. For others, relief comes in a day or two -- that's not long if you've been suffering with unrelieved back pain. 

How Soon Can I Get My Life Back?

Because this is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure, your recovery will take place in the comfort of your home. Most patients resume their normal daily activities in a day or so, though, of course, you'll need to hold off on anything strenuous, especially any heavy lifting, for at least six weeks. Your doctor will give you specific instructions about when you can return to regular activity.

 Are you suffering from recent back pain that doesn't seem to be relieved well with pain medication? Is your back pain keeping you from enjoying your active life? Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation with one of our highly-qualified surgeons so you can get your life back on track.

At Prime Surgical Suites, we provide state-of-the-art, cost-effective musculoskeletal surgical care in a convenient and comfortable outpatient setting for patients of all ages. Located in RiverCrest Medical Park, we are the region's first outpatient center focused exclusively on orthopedics. Our physician-led center will help restore your active lifestyle and well-being with compassion and orthopedic excellence.